n, giving me also privately a couple of Golden Ducats; nor have I
any doubt that the Innkeeper had also his commission to receive for
recommending a Doctor to the sick Englishman, and was duly satisfied by
Meinheer Bolus.

There was the Innkeeper's bill itself to be unpouched, and a mighty
Pother there was over each item, Mr. Pinchin seeming to think that
because he had been sick it was our Duty to have laid abed too,
swallowing nought but Draughts and Slops. Truth was, that we should not
have been Equal to the task of Nursing and Tending so difficult a
Patient had we not taken Fortifying and Substantial Nourishment and a
sufficiency of Wholesome Liquor; not making merry it is true, with
indecent revelry, but Bearing up with a Grave and Reverent countenance,
and taking our Four Meals a day, with Refreshing Soups between whiles.
And I have always found that the vicinage of a Sick Room is apt to make
one exceeding Hungry and Thirsty, and that a Moribund, albeit he can
take neither Bite nor Sup himself, is, in his surroundings, the cook's
best Friend, and the Vintner's most bountiful Patron.

Coming to his health again, Mr. Pinchin falls nevertheless into a state
of Dark Melancholy and Despondency, talking now of returning to England
and ending his days there, and now entertaining an even Stranger Fancy
that had come over his capricious mind. We had nursed him during his
sickness according to the best of our Capacity, but felt nevertheless
the want of some Woman's hand to help us. Now all the Maids in the House
were mortally afraid of the Fever, and would not so much as enter the
Sick Man's apartment, much less make his bed; while, if we had not taken
it at our own Risk to promise the Innkeeper Double Fees for lodging, the
cowardly knave would have turned us out, Neck and Crop, and we should
have been forced to convey our poor Sufferer to a common Hospital. But
there was in this City of Ratisbon a convent of Pious Ladies who
devoted themselves wholly (and without Fee or Reward for the most part)
to works of Mercy and Charity; and Mr. Hodge happening to mention my
Master's State to the English Banker--one Mr. Sturt, who was a Romanist,
but a very civil kind of man--he sends to the convent, and there comes
down forthwith to our Inn a dear Good Nun that turned out to be the most
zealous and patient Nurse that I have ever met with in my Travels. She
sat up night and day with the Patient, and could scarcely be persuaded
to tak