uarrelled with him.

I was nearly having a fracas with this worthy. One day, after he had
been drinking sherry with a sprig, he swaggered into the yard where I
happened to be standing; just then a waiter came by carrying upon a tray
part of a splendid Cheshire cheese, with a knife, plate, and napkin.
Stopping the waiter, the coachman cut with the knife a tolerably large
lump out of the very middle of the cheese, stuck it on the end of the
knife, and putting it to his mouth nibbled a slight piece off it, and
then, tossing the rest away with disdain, flung the knife down upon the
tray, motioning the waiter to proceed; "I wish," said I, "you may not
want before you die what you have just flung away," whereupon the fellow
turned furiously towards me; just then, however, his coach being standing
at the door, there was a cry for coachman, so that he was forced to
depart, contenting himself for the present with shaking his fist at me,
and threatening to serve me out on the first opportunity; before,
however, the opportunity occurred he himself got served out in a most
unexpected manner.

The day after this incident he drove his coach to the inn, and after
having dismounted and received the contributions of the generality of the
passengers, he strutted up, with a cigar in his mouth, to an individual
who had come with him, and who had just asked me a question with respect
to the direction of a village about three miles off, to which he was
going. "Remember the coachman," said the knight of the box to this
individual, who was a thin person of about sixty, with a white hat,
rather shabby black coat, and buff-coloured trousers, and who held an
umbrella and a small bundle in his hand. "If you expect me to give you
anything," said he to the coachman, "you are mistaken; I will give you
nothing. You have been very insolent to me as I rode behind you on the
coach, and have encouraged two or three trumpery fellows, who rode along
with you, to cut scurvy jokes at my expense, and now you come to me for
money; I am not so poor, but I could have given you a shilling had you
been civil; as it is, I will give you nothing." "Oh! you won't, won't
you?" said the coachman; "dear me! I hope I shan't starve because you
won't give me anything--a shilling! why, I could afford to give you
twenty if I thought fit, you pauper! civil to you, indeed! things are
come to a fine pass if I need be civil to you! Do you know who you are
speaking to? why,