"Neither the one nor the other. Ill luck's dogged him. I fear he wasn't
born under a prosperous star."
"I'm sorry if he's been unfortunate. Perhaps though it was his own
fault."
A note of sadness had crept into her voice as Gay did not fail to note.
"Well, it's hard to say. To be sure, his tragedy would not have taken
the town--neither Rich nor Cibber would have aught to do with it, but he
had worse misfortunes than that. He was denounced as a traitorous
Jacobite and thrown into Newgate."
"That horrible place! Oh, I can't believe it," cried Lavinia, clasping
her hands. "Mr. Vane was no traitor, I'm sure--although----"
She paused. Politically Lancelot Vane might be incapable of treason, but
where love was concerned--well, had he not acted traitorously towards
her?
"That's true. Vane was no traitor. He was accused out of spite. I went
to see him in Newgate. They had thrust him in the 'lion's den,' the most
filthy and abominable of infernos, and he was loaded with fetters. That
was because he hadn't a penny to 'garnish' his sharks of gaolers. You
know what 'garnish' means, child?"
"Yes, indeed--money to bribe the gaolers with."
"Aye, from the Governor downward, and not forgetting the chaplain. I was
able by flinging about a few guineas to better his condition, and as the
gaol fever was creeping upon the poor fellow, they were glad enough to
get rid of him.
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