ngs since you were last here. I'll tell you how it happened. You
remember in what a desperate condition you found me, thinking of changing
my religion, selling my soul to the man in black, and then going and
hanging myself like Pontius Pilate; and I dare say you can't have
forgotten how you gave me good advice, made me drink ale, and give up
sherry. Well, after you were gone, I felt all the better for your talk,
and what you had made me drink, and it was a mercy that I did feel
better, for my niece was gone out, poor thing! and I was left alone in
the house, without a soul to look at, or to keep me from doing myself a
mischief in case I was so inclined. Well, things wore on in this way
till it grew dusk, when in came that blackguard Hunter with his train to
drink at my expense, and to insult me as usual; there were more than a
dozen of them, and a pretty set they looked. Well, they ordered about in
a very free and easy manner for upwards of an hour and a half,
occasionally sneering and jeering at me, as they had been in the habit of
doing for some time past; so, as I said before, things wore on, and other
customers came in, who, though they did not belong to Hunter's gang, also
passed off their jokes upon me; for, as you perhaps know, we English are
a set of low hounds, who will always take part with the many by way of
making ourselves safe, and currying favour with the stronger side. I
said little or nothing, for my spirits had again become very low, and I
was verily scared and afraid. All of a sudden I thought of the ale which
I had drank in the morning, and of the good it did me then, so I went
into the bar, opened another bottle, took a glass, and felt better; so I
took another, and feeling better still, I went back into the kitchen just
as Hunter and his crew were about leaving. "Mr. Hunter," said I, "you
and your people will please to pay me for what you have had?" "What do
you mean by my people?" said he, with an oath. "Ah! what do you mean by
calling us his people?" said the clan. "We are nobody's people;" and
then there was a pretty load of abuse, and threatening to serve me out.
"Well," said I, "I was perhaps wrong to call them your people, and beg
your pardon and theirs. And now you will please to pay me for what you
have had yourself, and afterwards I can settle with them." "I shall pay
you when I think fit," said Hunter. "Yes," said the rest, "and so shall
we. We shall pay you when we think fit.