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American Jew； living quietly at Leamington with her children； but
possessed of an immense property。 There's no use to give one's
self out to be an absolute pauper： so the fact is； that I myself
went everywhere with the character of a man of very large means。
My father had died； leaving me immense sums of money； and landed
estates。 Ah！ I was the gentleman then； the real gentleman； and
everybody was too happy to have me at table。
Well； I came the next day； and left a card for Dobble； with a note。
He neither returned my visit； nor answered my note。 The day after；
however； I met him with the widow； as before； and going up to him；
very kindly seized him by the hand； and swore I wasas really was
the casecharmed to see him。 Dobble hung back； to my surprise；
and I do believe the creature would have cut me； if he dared； but I
gave him a frown； and said
〃What； Dobble； my boy； don't you recollect old Stubbs； and our
adventure with the butcher's daughtersha？〃
Dobble gave a sickly kind of grin； and said； 〃Oh！ ah！ yes！ It is
yes！ it is； I believe； Captain Stubbs。〃
〃An old comrade； Madam； of Captain Dobble's； and one who has heard
so much； and seen so much of your ladyship； that he must take the
liberty of begging his friend to introduce him。〃
Dobble was obliged to take the hint； and Captain Stubbs was duly
presented to Mrs。 Manasseh。 The lady was as gracious as possible；
and when； at the end of the walk； we parted； she said 〃she hoped
Captain Dobble would bring me to her apartments that evening； where
she expected a few friends。〃 Everybody； you see； knows everybody
at Leamington； and I； for my part； was well known as a retired
officer of the army； who； on his father's death； had come into
seven thousand a year。 Dobble's arrival had been subsequent to
mine； but putting up as he did at the 〃Royal Hotel；〃 and dining at
the ordinary there with the widow； he had made her acquaintance
before I had。 I saw； however； that if I allowed him to talk about
me； as he could； I should be compelled to give up all my hopes and
pleasures at Leamington； and so I determined to be short with him。
As soon as the lady had gone into the hotel； my friend Dobble was
for leaving me likewise； but I stopped him and said； 〃Mr。 Dobble； I
saw what you meant just now： you wanted to cut me； because；
forsooth； I did not choose to fight a duel at Portsmouth。 Now look
you； Dobble； I am no hero； but I'm not such a coward as youand
you know it。 You are a very different man to deal with from
Waters； and I WILL FIGHT this time。〃
Not perhaps that I would： but after the business of the butcher； I
knew Dobble to be as great a coward as ever lived； and there never
was any harm in threatening； for you know you are not obliged to
stick to it afterwards。 My words had their effect upon Dobble； who
stuttered and looked red； and then declared he never had the
slightest intention of passing me by； so we became friends； and his
mouth was stopped。
He was very thick with the widow； but that lady had a very
capacious heart； and there were a number of other gentlemen who
seemed equally smitten with her。 〃Look at that Mrs。 Manasseh；〃
said a gentleman （it was droll； HE was a Jew； too） sitting at
dinner by me。 〃She is old； and ugly； and yet； because she has
money； all the men are flinging themselves at her。〃
〃She has money； has she？〃
〃Eighty thousand pounds； and twenty thousand for each of her
children。 I know it FOR A FACT；〃 said the strange gentleman。 〃I
am in the law； and we of our faith； you know； know pretty well what
the great families amongst us are worth。〃
〃Who was Mr。 Manasseh？〃 said I。
〃A man of enormous wealtha tobacco…merchantWest Indies； a
fellow of no birth； however； and who； between ourselves； married a
woman that is not much better than she should be。 My dear sir；〃
whispered he； 〃she is always in love。 Now it is with that Captain
Dobble； last week it was somebody elseand it may be you next
week； ifha！ ha！ ha！you are disposed to enter the lists。 I
wouldn't； for MY part； have the woman with twice her money。〃
What did it matter to me whether the woman was good or not；
provided she was rich？ My course was quite clear。 I told Dobble
all that this gentleman had informed me； and being a pretty good
hand at making a story； I made the widow appear SO bad； that the
poor fellow was quite frightened； and fairly quitted the field。
Ha！ ha！ I'm dashed if I did not make him believe that Mrs。 Manasseh
had MURDERED her last husband。
I played my game so well； thanks to the information that my friend
the lawyer had given me； that in a month I had got the widow to
show a most decided partiality for me。 I sat by her at dinner； I
drank with her at the 〃Wells〃I rode with her； I danced with her；
and at a picnic to Kenilworth； where we drank a good deal of
champagne； I actually popped the question； and was accepted。 In
another month； Robert Stubbs； Esq。； led to the altar； Leah； widow
of the late Z。 Manasseh； Esq。； of St。 Kitt's！
。 。 。 。 。 。
We drove up to London in her comfortable chariot： the children and
servants following in a post…chaise。 I paid； of course； for
everything； and until our house in Berkeley Square was painted； we
stopped at 〃Stevens's Hotel。〃
。 。 。 。 。 。
My own estate had been sold； and the money was lying at a bank in
the City。 About three days after our arrival； as we took our
breakfast in the hotel； previous to a visit to Mrs。 Stubbs's
banker； where certain little transfers were to be made； a gentleman
was introduced； who； I saw at a glance； was of my wife's
persuasion。
He looked at Mrs。 Stubbs； and made a bow。 〃Perhaps it will be
convenient to you to pay this little bill； one hundred and fifty…
two pounds？〃
〃My love；〃 says she； 〃will you pay thisit is a trifle which I had
really forgotten？〃
〃My soul！〃 said I； 〃I have really not the money in the house。〃
〃Vel； denn； Captain Shtubbsh；〃 says he； 〃I must do my dutyand
arrest youhere is the writ！ Tom； keep the door？〃 My wife
faintedthe children screamed； and I fancy my condition as I was
obliged to march off to a spunging…house along with a horrid
sheriff's officer？
OCTOBER。MARS AND VENUS IN OPPOSITION。
I shall not describe my feelings when I found myself in a cage in
Cursitor Street； instead of that fine house in Berkeley Square；
which was to have been mine as the husband of Mrs。 Manasseh。 What
a place！in an odious； dismal street leading from Chancery Lane。
A hideous Jew boy opened the second of three doors and shut it when
Mr。 Nabb and I （almost fainting） had entered； then he opened the
third door； and then I was introduced to a filthy place called a
coffee…room； which I exchanged for the solitary comfort of a little
dingy back…parlor； where I was left for a while to brood over my
miserable fate。 Fancy the change between this and Berkeley Square！
Was I； after all my pains； and cleverness； and perseverance；
cheated at last？ Had this Mrs。 Manasseh been imposing upon me； and
were the words of the wretch I met at the table…d'hote at
Leamington only meant to mislead me and take me in？ I determined
to send for my wife； and know the whole truth。 I saw at once that
I had been the victim of an infernal plot； and that the carriage；
the house in town； the West India fortune； were only so many lies
which I had blindly believed。 It was true that the debt was but a
hundred and fifty pounds； and I had two thousand at my bankers'。
But was the loss of HER 80；000L。 nothing？ Was the destruction of
my hopes nothing？ The accursed addition to my family of a Jewish
wife and three Jewish children； nothing？ And all these I was to
support out of my two thousand pounds。 I had better have stopped
at home with my mamma and sisters； whom I really did love； and who
produced me