Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/211

Suspecting that these difficulties were started to draw from me an offer, and also to enhance the value of his intended services, I came immediately to the point, and proposed his putting us into some place of temporary security, under cover, until he could cause us to be landed in England, for which, I offered him one hundred and fifty pounds, in bills, payable on demand. He replied, that he had been put to considerable expense on account of Mansell, had not yet received a stiver, and had trusted solely to his honour; that if he now undertook this affair, "et que tout manquoit," he should be ruined; and that, therefore, however willing he might be to serve us, he was necessarily obliged to decline having any thing to do with it. He questioned me about Mansell; when I convinced him of the respectability of his connexions, and that his bills would be honoured, he appeared to waver; by this, I concluded, he had no objection to the undertaking, provided he was certain of payment; but, as I had no means of giving security, I endeavoured to excite