al to all such dogs at the sight of a stranger.

And when the magistrate had received the money, and signed and returned a
certain paper which I handed to him, he rubbed his hands, and looking
very benignantly at me, exclaimed--

"And now, young gentleman, that our business is over, perhaps you can
tell me where the fight is to take place?"

"I am sorry, sir," said I, "that I can't inform you, but everybody seems
to be anxious about it;" and then I told him what had occurred to me on
the road with the alehouse keeper.

"I know him," said his worship; "he's a tenant of mine, and a good
fellow, somewhat too much in my debt though. But how is this, young
gentleman? you look as if you had been walking; you did not come on
foot?"

"Yes, sir, I came on foot."

"On foot! why, it is sixteen miles."

"I shan't be tired when I have walked back."

"You can't ride, I suppose?"

"Better than I can walk."

"Then why do you walk?"

"I have frequently to make journeys connected with my profession;
sometimes I walk, sometimes I ride, just as the whim takes me."

"Will you take a glass of wine?"

"Yes."

"That's right; what shall it be?"

"Madeira!"

The magistrate gave a violent slap on his knee. "I like your taste,"
said he; "I am fond of a glass of Madeira myself, and can give you such a
one as you will not drink every day; sit down, young gentleman; you shall
have a glass of Madeira, and the best I have."

Thereupon he got up, and, followed by his two terriers, walked slowly out
of the room.

I looked round the room, and, seeing nothing which promised me much
amusement, I sat down, and fell again into my former train of thought.
"What is truth?" said I.

"Here it is," said the magistrate, returning at the end of a quarter of
an hour, followed by the servant, with a tray; "here's the true thing, or
I am no judge, far less a justice. It has been thirty years in my cellar
last Christmas. There," said he to the servant, "put it down, and leave
my young friend and me to ourselves. Now, what do you think of it?"

"It is very good," said I.

"Did you ever taste better Madeira?"

"I never before tasted Madeira."

"Then you ask for a wine without knowing what it is?"

"I ask for it, sir, that I may know what it is."

"Well, there is logic in that, as Parr would say; you have heard of
Parr?"

"Old Parr?"

"Yes, old Parr, but not that Parr; you mean the English, I the Greek
Parr, {225a} as people call