in wit replied, with infinite vivacity, "There are more great guns than
the French king knows of drawn along this causeway, doctor."

Encouraged by the success of these efforts, which tickled the
imagination of Jolter, and drew smiles (as he imagined) of approbation
from our hero, he sported in many other equivoques of the same nature;
and at dinner, told the physician, that he was like the root of the
tongue, as being cursedly down in the mouth.

By this time, such was the animosity subsisting between these quondam
friends, that they never conversed together, except with a view
of exposing each other to the ridicule or contempt of their
fellow-travellers. The doctor was at great pains to point out the folly
and ignorance of Pallet in private to Peregrine, who was often conjured
in the same manner by the painter, to take notice of the physician's
want of manners and taste. Pickle pretended to acquiesce in the truth
of their mutual severity, which, indeed, was extremely just; and by
malicious insinuations blew up their contention, with a view of bringing
it to open hostility. But both seemed so averse to deeds of mortal
purpose, that for a long time his arts were baffled, and he could
not spirit them up to any pitch of resentment higher than scurrilous
repartee.

Before they reached Arras, the city gates were shut, so that they
were obliged to take up their lodgings at an indifferent house in the
suburbs, where they found a couple of French officers, who had also rode
post from Paris so far on their way to Lisle. These gentlemen were about
the age of thirty, and their deportment distinguished by such an air
of insolence, as disgusted our hero, who, nevertheless, accosted them
politely in the yard, and proposed that they should sup together. They
thanked him for the honour of his invitation, which, however, they
declined upon pretence of having ordered something for themselves;
but promised to wait upon him and his company immediately after their
repast.

This they accordingly performed; and, after having drunk a few glasses
of Burgundy, one of them asked, if the young gentleman would, for
pastime, take a hand at quadrille. Peregrine easily divined the meaning
of this proposal, which was made with no other view than that of
fleecing him and his fellow-travellers; for he well knew to what shifts
a subaltern in the French service is reduced, in order to maintain the
appearance of a gentleman, and had reason to believe