guing his neighbours.

Pallet protested, with great vehemence, that he was innocent as the
child unborn of an intention to give umbrage to any person whatever,
except the Israelite and his doxy, who he knew had incurred his
displeasure. "But as God is my Saviour," said he, "I believe I am
persecuted with witchcraft, and begin to think that d--d priest is
an agent of the devil; for he has been but two nights in our company,
during which I have not closed an eye; but, on the contrary, have been
tormented by all the fiends of hell." Pickle peevishly replied, that his
torments had been occasioned by his own foolish imagination; and asked
how he came to howl in that corner. The painter, who did not think
proper to own the truth, said, that he had been transported thither by
some preternatural conveyance, and soused in water by an invisible hand.
The youth, in hope of profiting by his absence, advised him to retire
immediately to his bed, and by sleep strive to comfort his brain, which
seemed to be not a little disordered by the want of that refreshment.
Pallet himself began to be very much of the same way of thinking; and,
in compliance with such wholesome counsel, betook himself to rest,
muttering prayers all the way for the recovery of his own understanding.

Pickle attended him to his chamber, and, locking him up, put the key in
his own pocket, that he might not have it in his power to interrupt him
again; but in his return he was met by Mr. Jolter and the doctor, who
had been a second time alarmed by the painter's cries, and came to
inquire about this new adventure. Half-frantic with such a series of
disappointments, he cursed them in his heart for their unseasonable
appearance. When they questioned him about Pallet, he told them he had
found him stark staring mad, howling in a corner, and wet to the skin,
and conducted him to his room, where he was now abed. The physician,
hearing this circumstance, made a merit of his vanity; and, under
pretence of concern for the patient's welfare, desired he might have an
opportunity of examining the symptoms of his disorder, without loss of
time; alleging that many diseases might have been stifled in the birth,
which afterwards baffled all the endeavours of the medical art. The
young gentleman accordingly delivered the key, and once more withdrew
into his own chamber, with a view of seizing the first occasion that
should present itself of renewing his application to his Amanda's
do