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Tales & Novels, Vol. 2 by Maria Edgeworth
Book, page 370 / 468


affronted by the Franklands, and that he was glad he had taken his
revenge of them; that, if the thing was to be done over again, he would
do it; that James might give him what character he pleased upon trial,
for that a man could be hanged but once.

Such were the absurd, bravadoing speeches he made, while he had an
alehouse audience round him, to admire his spirit; but a few hours
changed his tone. He and his brothers were taken before a magistrate.
Till the committal was actually made out, they had hopes of being
bailed: they had despatched a messenger to Admiral Tipsey, whose men
they called themselves, and expected he would offer bail for them to
any amount; but the bail of their friend Admiral Tipsey was not deemed
sufficient by the magistrate.

"In the first place, I could not bail these men; and if I could, do you
think it possible," said the magistrate, "I could take the bail of such
a man as that?"

"I understood that he was worth a deal of money," whispered James.

"You are mistaken, sir," said the magistrate: "he is what he deserves to
be, a ruined man. I have good reasons for knowing this. He has a nephew,
a Mr. Raikes, who is a gamester: whilst the uncle has been carrying on
the smuggling trade here, at the hazard of his life, the nephew, who was
bred up at Oxford to be a fine gentleman, has gamed away all the money
his uncle has made during twenty years, by his contraband traffic. At
the long run, these fellows never thrive. Tipsey is not worth a groat."

James was much surprised by this information, and resolved to return
immediately to Mr. Cleghorn, to tell him what he had heard, and put him
on his guard.

Early in the morning he went to his house--"You look as if you were not
pleased to see me again," said he to Mr. Cleghorn; "and perhaps you will
impute what I am going to say to bad motives; but my regard to you, sir,
determines me to acquaint you with what I have heard: you will make what
use of the information you please."

James then related what had passed at the magistrate's; and when Mr.
Cleghorn had heard all that he had to say, he thanked him in the

 
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