at a fool and laughed, though I was not the fool in
this instance, I put my pipe into my mouth and said
no more. This quiet and well-regulated behaviour
of mine, however, the fellow interpreted into fear;
so, after drinking a little more, he suddenly started
up, and striding once or twice before the table, he
asked me what I meant by that impertinent question
of mine, saying that he had a good mind to wring my
nose for my presumption. ‘You have?’
said I, getting up, and laying down my pipe.
‘Well, I’ll now give you an opportunity.’
So I put myself in an attitude, and went up to him,
saying ’I have an old score to settle with you,
you scamp; you wanted to get me turned out of the
club, didn’t you?’ And thereupon, remembering
that he had threatened to wring my nose, I gave him
a snorter upon his own. I wish you could have
seen the fellow when he felt the smart; so far from
trying to defend himself, he turned round, and with
his hand to his face, attempted to run away; but I
was now in a regular passion, and following him up,
got before him, and was going to pummel away at him,
when he burst into tears, and begged me not to hurt
him, saying that he was sorry if he had offended me,
and that, if I pleased, he would go down on his knees,
or do anything else I wanted. Well, when I heard
him talk in this manner, I, of course, let him be;
I could hardly help laughing at the figure he cut;
his face all blubbered with tears, and blood and paint;
but I did not laugh at the poor creature either, but
went to the table and took up my pipe, and smoked
and drank as if nothing had happened; and the fellow,
after having been to the pump, came and sat down,
crying, and trying to curry favour with me and the
coachman; presently, however, putting on a confidential
look, he began to talk of the Popish house, and of
the doings there, and said he supposed as how we were
of the party, and that it was all right; and then
he began to talk of the Pope of Rome, and what a nice
man he was, and what a fine thing it was to be of
his religion, especially if folks went over to him;
and how it advanced them in the world, and gave them
consideration; and how his master, who had been abroad
and seen the Pope, and kissed his toe, was going over
to the Popish religion, and had persuaded him to consent
to do so, and to forsake his own, which I think the
scoundrel called the ’Piscopal Church of Scotland,
and how many others of that church were going over,
thinking to better their condition in life by so doing,
and to be more thought on; and how many of the English
Church were thinking of going over too—and
that he had no doubt that it would all end right and
comfortably. Well, as he was going on in this
way, the old coachman began to spit, and getting up,
flung all the beer that was in his jug upon the ground,
and going away, ordered another jug of beer, and sat
down at another table, saying that he would not drink
in such company; and I too got up, and flung what
beer remained in my jug, there wasn’t more than
a drop, in the fellow’s face, saying, I would
scorn to drink any more in such company; and then
I went to my horses, put them to, paid my reckoning,
and drove home.”