CHARLES WATERT0N, ESQ. lxXXV 



me to pay the soldier for removing the pretended 

 nuisance. Now, I will do no such thing/' con- 

 tinued he, " for my horses non sono andati di 

 corpo, have not had one single motion, this 

 afternoon, from the time that they left the 

 stable ; and the young ladies who are sitting 

 there in the carriage can bear witness to the 

 truth of what I affirm." 



" Your horses have committed the offence," 

 said a soldier standing close to the sentinel, " for 

 I myself removed what fell, and put it over the 

 wall there, and I will be paid for my trouble." 



" Not by me," said our coachman, wrath- 

 fully, whilst fire flashed from his coal-black 

 eyes. 



" Pray, friend," said I to the soldier w r ho 

 had just been speaking, " did you actually see 

 the horses commit the fault ? " 



" No, Signore," said he ; " but I removed 

 what had dropped from them whilst it was still 

 warm, and there has been no other carriage on 

 the road to the fort this afternoon." 



Now I saw clearly that I had the whip-hand 

 of these extortioners ; for, just as I left the 

 ladies in order to deliver my letter at the con- 

 vent, I observed a jackass going quietly on the 



e 3 



