The sense of the rest he perverted as he went on with such surprising
facility that I could not help thinking he had been at some pains to
burlesque the performance. Miss Snapper ascribed it to the true cause,
namely ignorance; and, when he asked her how she relished his music,
answered that, in her opinion, the music and the words were much of a
piece. "Oh, d--n my blood!" said he "I take that as a high compliment;
for everybody allows the words are d--able fine." "They may be
so," replied the lady, "for aught I know, but they are above my
comprehension." "I an't obliged to find you comprehension, madam, curse
me!" cried he. "No, nor to speak sense neither," said she. "D--n my
heart," said he, "I'll speak what I please." Here the lawyer interposed,
by telling him, there were some things he must not speak; and upon being
defied to give an instance, mentioned treason and defamation. "As for
the king," cried the soldier, "God bless him--I eat his bread, and have
lost blood in his cause, therefore I have nothing to say to him--but, by
G--d, I dare say anything to any other man." "No," said the lawyer, "you
dare not call me rogue." "D--me, for what?" said the other. "Because,"
replied the counsellor, "I should have it good action against you,
and recover." "Well, well," cried the officer, "if I dare not call you
rogue, I dare think you one, d--me!" This stroke of wit he accompanied
with a loud laugh of self-approbation, which unluckily did not affect
the audience, but effectually silenced his antagonist, who did not open
his mouth for the space of an hour, except to clear his pipe with three
hems, which however, produced nothing.

CHAPTER LIV

Day breaking, I have the Pleasure of viewing the Person of Miss
Snapper, whom I had not seen before--the Soldier is witty upon
me--is offended--talks much of his Valour--is reprimanded by a grave
Gentlewoman--we are alarmed by the cry of Highwaymen--I get out of
the Coach, and stand in my own defence--they ride off without having
attacked us--I pursue them--one of them is thrown from his Horse and
taken--I return to the Coach--am complimented by Miss Snapper--the
Captain's Behaviour on this Occasion--the Prude reproaches me in a
Soliloquy--I upbraid her in the same Manner--the Behaviour of Miss
Snapper, at Breakfast, disobliges me--the Lawyer is witty upon the
Officer, who threatens him

In the meantime, the day breaking in upon us, discovered to one another
the faces of