Upon
the whole, we were in a condition to proceed in little more than
an hour; but even this delay obliged us to pass the night at
Gisborough -- Next day we crossed the Tees at Stockton, which is a
neat agreeable town; and there we resolved to dine, with purpose
to lie at Durham.
Whom should we meet in the yard, when we alighted, but Martin the
adventurer? Having handed out the ladies, and conducted them into
an apartment, where he payed his compliments to Mrs Tabby, with
his usual address, he begged leave to speak to my uncle in
another room; and there, in some confusion, he made an apology
for having taken the liberty to trouble him with a letter at
Stevenage. He expressed his hope, that Mr Bramble had bestowed
some consideration on his unhappy case, and repeated his desire
of being taken into his service.
My uncle, calling me into the room, told him, that we were both
very well inclined to rescue him from a way of life that was
equally dangerous and dishonourable; and that he should have no
scruples in trusting to his gratitude and fidelity, if he had any
employment for him, which he thought would suit his
qualifications and his circumstances; but that all the
departments he had mentioned in his letter, were filled up by
persons of whose conduct he had no reason to complain; of
consequence he could not, without injustice, deprive any one of
them of his bread.
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