e!' said the
voice from the ground. 'Have they not done robbing you yet?' said I;
'when they have finished let me know, and I will come and help you.'
'Who is that?' said the voice; 'pray come and help me, and do me no
mischief.' 'You were saying that some one was robbing you,' said I;
'don't think I shall come till he is gone away.' 'Then you ben't he?'
said the voice. 'Aren't you robbed?' said I. 'Can't say I be,' said the
voice; 'not yet at any rate; but who are you? I don't know you.' 'A
traveller whom you and your partner were going to run over in this dark
lane; you almost frightened me out of my senses.' 'Frightened!' said the
voice, in a louder tone; 'frightened! oh!' and thereupon I heard somebody
getting upon his legs. This accomplished, the individual proceeded to
attend to his horse, and with a little difficulty raised him upon his
legs also. 'Aren't you hurt?' said I. 'Hurt!' said the voice; 'not I;
don't think it, whatever the horse may be. I tell you what, my fellow, I
thought you were a robber, and now I find you are not; I have a good
mind--' 'To do what?' 'To serve you out; aren't you ashamed--?' 'At
what?' said I; 'not to have robbed you? Shall I set about it now?' 'Ha,
ha!' said the man, dropping the bullying tone which he had assumed; 'you
are joking--robbing! who talks of robbing? I wonder how my horse's knees
are; not much hurt, I think--only mired.' The man, whoever he was, then
got upon his horse; and, after moving him about a little, said, 'Good
night, friend; where are you?' 'Here I am,' said I, 'just behind you.'
'You are, are you? Take that.' I know not what he did, but probably
pricking his horse with the spur the animal kicked out violently; one of
his heels struck me on the shoulder, but luckily missed my face; I fell
back with the violence of the blow, whilst the fellow scampered off at a
great rate. Stopping at some distance, he loaded me with abuse, and
then, continuing his way at a rapid trot, I heard no more of him.

'What a difference!' said I, getting up; 'last night I was feted in the
hall of a rich genius, and to-night I am knocked down and mired in a dark
lane by the heel of Master Wise's horse--I wonder who gave him that name?
And yet he was wise enough to wreak his revenge upon me, and I was not
wise enough to keep out of his way. Well, I am not much hurt, so it is
of little consequence.'

I now bethought me that, as I had a carriage of my own, I might