A Rake’s Progress IV, third stage

The rake’s lifestyle is a costly affair. Tom is compelled to borrow money. Attending an audience at the Royal Palace - the apotheosis of his „upward downfall“, he only ventures outdoor hidden in a sedan chair. Even this device, however, cannot protect him from his creditors; Tom is arrested by bailiffs on account of his debts. At the last minute Sarah Young, who has become a seamstress, rushes to his rescue and pays his debt with her own savings. The scene also denotes a critique of gambling, the cause of Tom’s financial ruin.