l86 LIFE OF MYTTON. 



who jointly threw him clown on the ground, and tore 

 his shirt from his body piecemeal. Then here again 



comes John Mytton : " The hiccup is gone, by !" 



said he, and reeled naked into his bed. 



It is easily to be supposed that the irregular life 

 Mr. Mytton was at this time leading had its due 

 weight with his valet, and, although he had been some 

 four or five years in his service, he had left him that 

 night to his fate, and was pursuing his own pleasures 

 in Calais. The following morning, however, between 

 the hours of seven and eight, he came to inform me 

 of what his master had done, and wished me to 

 come instantly to see him. " What doctor have you 

 got?" said I. "7\'^^);/^," replied the man. "Send for 

 Dr. Souville immediately," added I, "and I will come 

 to your master as soon as I am dressed." 



Shall I ever forget the scene this morning presented? 

 There lay Mr. Mjtton, not only shirtless, but sheet- 

 less, with the skin of his breast, shoulders, and knees 

 of the same colour with a newly-singed bacon hog. 

 He saluted me, as usual, with a view-holloa, but I 

 told him that was no time for joking, and asked liim 

 why he committed so silly an act, and one that might 

 very probably be the cause of his death ? In fact, had 

 the flames caught his body one inch lower down, his 



