Jones, on the contrary, whose character was on the outside of
generosity, and may perhaps not very unjustly have been suspected of
extravagance, without any hesitation gave a guinea in exchange for the
book. The poor man, who had not for a long time before been
possessed of so much treasure, gave Mr. Jones a thousand thanks, and
discovered little less of transport in his muscles than Jones had
before shown, when he had first read the name of Sophia Western.
The fellow very readily agreed to attend our travellers to the place
where he had found the pocket-book. Together, therefore, they
proceeded directly thither; but not so fast as Mr. Jones desired;
for his guide unfortunately happened to be lame, and could not
possibly travel faster than a mile an hour. As this place,
therefore, was at above three miles' distance, though the fellow had
said otherwise, the reader need not be acquainted how long they were
in walking it.
Jones opened the book a hundred times during their walk, kissed it
as often, talked much to himself, and very little to his companions.
At all which the guide exprest some signs of astonishment to
Partridge; who more than once shook his head, and cryed, Poor
gentleman! orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano.*
*We should pray for a sound mind in a sound body.
At length they arrived at the very spot where Sophia unhappily dropt
the pocket-book, and where the fellow had as happily found it.
Pages:
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774