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Smollett, Tobias George, 1721-1771

"The Expedition of Humphry Clinker"

He tore the ribbon from the fellow's cap, and beat it
about his ears. He swore he would pursue him to the gates of
hell, and ordered a post-chaise and four to be got ready as soon
as possible; but, recollecting that his finances would not admit
of this way of travelling, he was obliged to countermand this
order.
For my part, I knew nothing at all of what had happened, till the
postilion brought me the keys of my trunk and portmanteau, which
he had received from Dutton, who sent me his respects, hoping I
would excuse him for his abrupt departure, as it was a step upon
which his fortune depended. Before I had time to make my uncle
acquainted with this event, the Irishman burst into my chamber,
without any introduction, exclaiming, -- 'By my soul, your sarvant
has robbed me of five thousand pounds, and I'll have
satisfaction, if I should be hanged tomorrow.' -- When I asked him
who he was, 'My name (said he) is Master Macloughlin but it
should be Leighlin Oneale, for I am come from Tir-Owen the Great;
and so I am as good a gentleman as any in Ireland; and that
rogue, your sarvant, said I was a taylor, which was as big a lie
as if he had called me the pope -- I'm a man of fortune, and have
spent all I had; and so being in distress, Mr Coshgrave, the
fashioner in Shuffolk-street, tuck me out, and made me his own
private shecretary: by the same token, I was the last he bailed;
for his friends obliged him to tie himself up, that he would bail
no more above ten pounds; for why, becaase as how, he could not
refuse any body that asked, and therefore in time would have
robbed himself of his whole fortune, and, if he had lived long at
that rate, must have died bankrupt very soon and so I made my
addresses to Miss Skinner, a young lady of five thousand pounds
fortune, who agreed to take me for better nor worse; and, to be
sure, this day would have put me in possession, if it had not
been for that rogue, your sarvant, who came like a tief, and
stole away my property, and made her believe I was a taylor; and
that she was going to marry the ninth part of a man: but the
devil burn my soul, if ever I catch him on the mountains of
Tulloghobegly, if I don't shew him that I'm nine times as good a
man as he, or e'er a bug of his country.


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