 in either; - and my own opinion of the matter is, that
you have raised yourself by your industry, from nothing to the appearance you
now maintain, and which you endeavour to support by some matrimonial scheme.« -
Here he fixed his eyes stedfastly upon me, and perceiving my face covered with
blushes, told me, now he was confirmed in his opinion; - »Look ye, Random, (said
he) I have divined your plan, and am confident it will never succeed - You are
too honest and too ignorant of the town, to practice the necessary cheats of
your profession, and detect the conspiracies that will be formed against you -
Besides, you are downright bashful - what the devil! set up for a
fortune-hunter, before you have conquered the sense of shame! - Perhaps you are
entitled by your merit, and I believe you are, to a richer and better wife than
Melinda; but take my word for it, she is not to be won at that rate; - or, if
you are so lucky as to carry her, between you and me, you may say, as Teague
did, By my soul I have gained a loss! She would take care to spend her own
fortune in a twinkling, and soon make you sick of her extravagance.« - I was
alarmed by this discourse, while I resented the freedom of it, and expressed my
disgust, by telling him, he was mistaken in my intentions, and desiring he would
give me leave to regulate my conduct according to the dictates of my own reason.
- He made an apology for the liberty he had taken, and ascribed it to the warmth
of his friendship for me; as an uncommon instance of which, he borrowed five
guineas, assuring me, there were very few people in the world whom he would so
far favour with his confidence. - I gave him the money, and professed myself so
well convinced of his sincerity, that he had no occasion to put it to such
extraordinary proofs for the future. - »I thought (said he) to have asked five
pieces more, but hearing you was bubbled of eighteen last night, I presumed you
might be out of cash, and resolved to model my demand accordingly.« I could not
help admiring the cavalier behaviour of this spark, of whom I desired to know
his reason for saying I was bubbled. - Whereupon he gave me to understand, that
before he came to my lodgings, he had beat up Tom Tossle, who having been
present, informed him of the particulars,
