The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete
who had captivated my virgin heart, the old impressions still remained,
I saw his penitence, pitied his misfortune, and his wife being dead,
consented to join his fate, the ceremony having been performed by a
fellow-prisoner, who was in orders. Though his hard-hearted creditor
had no other chance of being paid, than that of setting him at liberty,
he lent a deaf ear to all our supplications; and this cruelty
conspiring with the anguish of my husband’s own reflection, affected
his health and spirits to such a degree, that he could no longer earn
the miserable pittance which had hitherto supported our lives. Then our
calamities began to multiply. Indigence and famine stared us in the
face; and it was with the utmost difficulty that we resisted their
attacks, by selling or pledging our wearing apparel, until we were left
almost quite naked, when we found ourselves discharged by an act passed
for the relief of insolvent debtors. This charitable law, which was
intended for a consolation to the wretched, proved to us the most
severe disaster; for we were turned out into the streets, utterly
destitute of food, raiment, and lodging, at a time when Mr. Fathom was
so weakened by his distemper, that he could not stand alone. I
supported him from door to door, imploring the compassion of charitable
Christians, and was at length permitted to shelter him in this
miserable place, where his disease gaining ground, he lay three days in
that deplorable condition, from which he hath now been rescued, though
I fear too late, by your humanity and benevolence.”
She shed a flood of tears at the conclusion of this mournful tale,
which did not fail to affect the whole audience, especially Serafina,
who assured her, that, whatever should happen to her husband, she might
depend upon finding favour and protection, provided her conduct should
correspond with her professions. While this grateful creature kissed
the hand of her kind benefactress, Fathom uttered a groan, began to
stir in the bed, and with a languid voice called upon Elenor, who,
instantly withdrawing the curtain, presented the whole company to his
view. He had now retrieved the use of his perception by the operation
of the blisters, which began to torture him severely; he looked around
him with amazement and affright, and distinguishing the three persons
against whom the chief arrows of his fraud and treachery had been
levelled, he concluded that he was now arrived at the land of departed
souls, and that the shades of those whom he had so grievously injured
were come to see him tormented according to his demerits.
Fraught with this notion, which was confirmed by the bodily pain which
he felt, and the appearance of the clergyman and Joshua, whom he
mistook for the ministers of vengeance, he cried in a tone replete with
horror, “Is there no mercy then for penitence? Is there no pity due to
the miseries I suffered upon earth? Save me, O bountiful Heaven! from
the terrors of everlasting woe; hide me from these dreadful
executioners, whose looks are torture. Forgive me, generous Castilian.
O Renaldo! thou hadst once a tender heart. I dare not lift my eyes to
Serafina! that pattern of human excellence, who fell a victim to my
atrocious guilt; yet her aspect is all mildness and compassion. Hah!
are not these the drops of pity? Yes, they are the tears of mercy. They
fall like refreshing showers upon my drooping soul! Ah, murdered
innocence! wilt thou not intercede for thy betrayer at the throne of
grace!”
Here he was interrupted by Melvil, who with a grave and solemn air
pronounced, “Great hath been thy guilt, unhappy Ferdinand, and great
have been thy sufferings. Yet we come not to insult, but to alleviate
thy distress. Providence hath kindly defeated thy dire intentions,
which we therefore now forgive and transmit to oblivion, whether it be
thy lot to yield up thy spirit immediately, or to survive the dangerous
malady with which thou art at present overwhelmed. Suffer not thyself
to despair; for the mercy of Heaven is infinite; and submit to the
directions of this worthy gentleman, who will employ his skill for thy
recovery, while we shall take care to furnish thee with necessary
attendance. As too much speaking may be prejudicial to thy health, I
dispense with thy reply, and exhort thee to compose thyself to rest.”
So saying, he drew the curtain, and the company retired, leaving Fathom
entranced with wonder.
The next step which Renaldo took for the benefit of this wretched
penitent, was to send for the apothecary, with whom he left a sum of
money to be expended for the convenience of Fathom and his wife; then
he laid injunctions upon the physician to repeat his visits; and that
gentleman, together with the clergyman and Joshua, taking leave of the
others till next day, the Count set out with the ladies and his
father-in-law to the house where they had lodged the preceding night.
The reader may well imagine the conversation of the evening turned
wholly upon the strange occurrence of the day, which seemed to have
been concerted by supernatural prescience, in order to satisfy the
vengeance, and afford matter of triumph to the generosity of those who
had been so grievously injured by the guilty Fathom. Though not one of
them would say that such a miscreant ought to live, yet all concurred
in approving the offices of humanity which had been performed, and even
endeavoured to find specious pretext for vindicating their compassion.
Don Diego said, it would ill become a transgressor like him to withhold
his forgiveness from a sinner who had wronged him. Madam Clement
appealed to the approbation of Heaven, which had undoubtedly directed
them that way, for the purpose they had fulfilled. Serafina observed,
that the crimes of the delinquent were obliterated by his sorrow,
misery, and repentance. Renaldo honestly owned, that, exclusive of
other reasons, he could not deny himself the luxurious enjoyment of
communicating happiness to his fellow-creatures in distress; and each
fervently prayed, that their charity might not be disappointed by the
death of the object.
While they amused themselves in these discussions, Fathom, after having
lain some hours silent, in consequence of Renaldo’s advice, could no
longer suppress the astonishment of his mind, but, addressing himself
to his wife, “O Elenor!” said he, “my delirium is now past; though I
still remember the phantasies of my distempered brain. Among other
reveries, my imagination was regaled with a vision so perfect and
distinct, as to emulate truth and reality. Methought Count de Melvil,
Don Diego de Zelos, and the divine Serafina, the very persons who are
now crying before the throne of Heaven for vengeance against the guilty
Fathom, stood by my bedside, with looks of pity and forgiveness; and
that Renaldo spoke peace to my despairing soul. I heard the words
distinctly. I retain them in my memory. I saw the tears trickle from
Serafina’s eyes. I heard her father utter a compassionate sigh; and
should actually believe that they were personally present, had not I
long ago seen with my own eyes the funeral procession of that young
lady, whose wrongs God pardon; and were I not convinced that such a
meeting could not be effected without the immediate and miraculous
interposition of Heaven. Yet everything I now see corresponds with the
words of Renaldo, which still sound in my ears. When my perception
forsook me, I lay in the most abject misery, among straw; and thou,
poor injured innocence, wast naked and forlorn. Now, I find myself
reposed in a warm, easy, comfortable bed. I see around me the marks of
human charity and care, and the favourable change in thy appearance
glads my poor dejected heart. Say, whence this happy alteration? Do I
really awake from that dream of misery in which we have continued so
long? or do I still utter the extravagant ravings of a distempered
brain?”
Elenor was afraid of imparting at once all the particulars of the happy
change he had undergone, lest they might leave a dangerous impression
upon his fancy, which was not yet duly composed. She contented herself,
therefore, with telling him, that he had been obliged to the humanity
of a gentleman and lady, who chanced to pass that way by accident, and
who, understanding his deplorable case, had furnished him with the
conveniences which he now enjoyed. She then presented to him what the
doctor had directed her to administer, and, admonishing him to commit
his head to the pillow, he was favoured with a breathing sweat, fell
fast asleep, and in a few hours waked again altogether cool and
undisturbed.
It was upon this occasion that his wife explained the circumstances of
that visit which had redeemed him from extremity of wretchedness and
the jaws of death; upon which he started up, and throwing himself upon
his knees, exclaimed, “All-gracious Power! this was the work of thy own
bounteous hand; the voice of my sorrow and repentance hath been heard.
Thou hast inspired my benefactors with more than mortal goodness in my
behalf; how shall I praise thy name! how shall I requite their
generosity! Oh, I am bankrupt to both! yet let me not perish until I
shall have convinced them of my reformation, and seen them enjoying
that felicity which ought to be reserved for such consummate virtue.”
Next day, in the forenoon, he was visited by the physician, whom he now
recollected to have seen at the house of Madam Clement; and, after
having thanked that gentleman for his humanity and care, he earnestly
begged to know by what means Serafina had been preserved. When he was
satisfied in this particular, and given to understand that she was now
happy in the arms of Renaldo, “Blessed be God!” he cried, “for having
defeated the villany of him who sought to part such lovers. Dear sir,
will you add one circumstance to your charity, and bear to that happy
couple, and the noble Don Diego, the respects and the remorse of a
sincere penitent, whom their compassion hath raised to life? I have
been such a traitor to them, that my words deserve no regard. I will
not therefore use professions. I dare not hope to be admitted into
their presence. I am indeed ashamed to see the light of the sun. How
then could I bear the looks of that injured family? ah, no! let me hide
myself in some obscure retreat, where I may work out my salvation with
fear and trembling, and pray incessantly to Heaven for their
prosperity.”
The physician promised to represent his contrition to the Count and his
lady, and accordingly proceeded to their habitation, where he repeated
these expressions, and pronounced his patient out of danger. So that
their thoughts were now employed in concerting a scheme for his future
subsistence, that he might not be exposed by indigence to a relapse in
point of morals. Renaldo being still averse to any personal intercourse
with such a wretch, until he should give some undoubted proofs of
amendment, and, as yet afraid of intrusting him with any office that
required integrity, resolved, with the approbation of all present, to
settle him in a cheap county in the north of England, where he and his
wife could live comfortably on an annuity of sixty pounds, until his
behaviour should entitle him to a better provision.
This resolution was just taken, when Joshua arrived with a gentleman
whom he introduced to Don Diego as the secretary of the Spanish
ambassador. After the first compliments, the stranger told the
Castilian, that he waited upon him at the desire of his Excellency, who
would have come in person, had he not been confined by the gout. Then
he put into his hand a letter from the court of Madrid, written by a
nobleman of Diego’s acquaintance, who informed him, that Don Manuel de
Mendoza having made away with himself by poison, in order to avoid the