252 ANECDOTE OF AN ENGLISHMAN. 



desired him to report faithfully the midnight colloquy in the 

 outer chamber. 5 



" 'What's that they say ?' quoth the traveller. 

 " ( They want another pint, for they have not had such a 

 prize for the last twelvemonth.' 



" ' That's me !' groaned the querist. 



" ' They have five pikes already, and expect more before 

 morning/ continued the valet. 

 e ' Truculent scoundrels !' 

 ' ' The largest is intended for yourself ! 

 e ' Lord defend me !' ejaculated the stranger. 

 ( ' They wonder if you are sleeping.' 



( ' Cold-blooded monsters; they want to despatch us 

 quietly.' 



" f The owner swears that nobody shall enter this room 

 till morning.' 



" f Ay, then they will have daylight, and no difficulty.' 

 " ' And now he urges them to go to bed.' 

 " ' Heaven grant they may ! for then, escape from this 

 den of murder might be possible.' 



" Listening with a beating heart until unequivocal symptoms 

 of deep sleep were heard from the kitchen, the unhappy En- 

 glishman, leaving his effects to fortune, crawled through the 

 window half-dressed, and, with a world of trouble and perilous 

 adventure, managed early next morning to reach his original 

 place of destination. 



"Never, however, was man more mortified than he, 

 when he related his fearful story. His tale was frequently 

 interrupted by a laugh, which politesse vainly endeavoured to 

 control. 



( ' ' Zounds !' cried the irritated Englishman, no longer able 

 to conceal his rage, ' is my throat so valueless, that its cutting 

 should merely raise a horse-laugh T 



" ' My dear friend/ replied the host, e you must excuse 

 me it is so funny, I cannot, for the life of me, be serious. 

 The cause of all your fears lies quietly in the outer hall. 

 Come, you shall judge upon what good grounds you ab- 

 sconded through a window, and skirmished half the night 

 over hill and dale, with but the nether portion of your habili- 

 ments/ 



" As he spoke he uncovered a large basket, and pointed to 



