holly improbable, but that for the dexterity of
the Corporal, he might be in the town to this day; not, indeed in the
comfortable shelter of the old-fashioned inn, but in the colder quarters
of a certain green spot, in which, despite of its rural attractions, few
persons are willing to fix a permanent habitation.

Luckily, however, one evening, the Corporal, who had been, to say
truth, very regular in his attendance on his master; for, bating the
selfishness, consequent, perhaps, on his knowledge of the world, Jacob
Bunting was a good-natured man on the whole, and liked his master as
well as he did any thing, always excepting Jacobina, and board-wages;
one evening, we say, the Corporal coming into Walter's apartment,
found him sitting up in his bed, with a very melancholy and dejected
expression of countenance.

"And well, Sir, what does the Doctor say?" asked the Corporal, drawing
aside the curtains.

"Ah, Bunting, I fancy it's all over with me!"

"The Lord forbid, Sir! you're a-jesting, surely?"

"Jesting! my good fellow, ah! just get me that phial."

"The filthy stuff!" said the Corporal, with a wry face; "Well, Sir, if I
had had the dressing of you--been half way to Yorkshire by this. Man's a
worm; and when a doctor gets un on his hook, he is sure to angle for the
devil with the bait--augh!"

"What! you really think that damned fellow, Fillgrave, is keeping me on
in this way?"

"Is he a fool, to give up three phials a day, 4s. 6d. item, ditto,
ditto?" cried the Corporal, as if astonished at the question; "but don't
you feel yourself getting a deal better every day? Don't you feel all
this ere stuff revive you?"

No, indeed, I was amazingly better the first day than I am now; I
progress from worse to worse. Ah! Bunting, if Peter Dealtry were here,
he might help me to an appropriate epitaph: as it is, I suppose I shall
be very simply labelled. Fillgrave will do the whole business, and put
it down in his bill--item, nine draughts--item, one epitaph.

"Lord-a-mercy, your honour," said the Corporal, drawing out a little
red-spotted pocket-handkerchief; "how can--jest so?--it's quite moving."

"I wish we were moving!" sighed the patient.

"And so we might be," cried the Corporal; "so we might, if you'd
pluck up a bit. Just let me look at your honour's head; I knows what a
confusion is better nor any of 'em."

The Corporal having obtained permission, now removed the bandages
wherewith the Doctor had bound h