an of jest,' but it was temper'd with
something which withheld him from that, and many other ungracious
pranks, of which he as undeservedly bore the blame;--but it was his
misfortune all his life long to bear the imputation of saying and doing
a thousand things, of which (unless my esteem blinds me) his nature was
incapable. All I blame him for--or rather, all I blame and alternately
like him for, was that singularity of his temper, which would never
suffer him to take pains to set a story right with the world, however in
his power. In every ill usage of that sort, he acted precisely as in the
affair of his lean horse--he could have explained it to his honour, but
his spirit was above it; and besides, he ever looked upon the inventor,
the propagator and believer of an illiberal report alike so injurious
to him--he could not stoop to tell his story to them--and so trusted to
time and truth to do it for him.

This heroic cast produced him inconveniences in many respects--in the
present it was followed by the fixed resentment of Phutatorius, who,
as Yorick had just made an end of his chesnut, rose up from his chair
a second time, to let him know it--which indeed he did with a smile;
saying only--that he would endeavour not to forget the obligation.

But you must mark and carefully separate and distinguish these two
things in your mind.

--The smile was for the company.

--The threat was for Yorick.

Chapter 2.LXIII.

--Can you tell me, quoth Phutatorius, speaking to Gastripheres who
sat next to him--for one would not apply to a surgeon in so foolish
an affair--can you tell me, Gastripheres, what is best to take out the
fire?--Ask Eugenius, said Gastripheres.--That greatly depends, said
Eugenius, pretending ignorance of the adventure, upon the nature of the
part--If it is a tender part, and a part which can conveniently be wrapt
up--It is both the one and the other, replied Phutatorius, laying his
hand as he spoke, with an emphatical nod of his head, upon the part
in question, and lifting up his right leg at the same time to ease and
ventilate it.--If that is the case, said Eugenius, I would advise you,
Phutatorius, not to tamper with it by any means; but if you will send to
the next printer, and trust your cure to such a simple thing as a soft
sheet of paper just come off the press--you need do nothing more than
twist it round.--The damp paper, quoth Yorick (who sat next to his
friend Eugenius) though I know it