truth；　these　country　folks　did　not　give　themselves　the　pains；　and
  had　scarce　the　knowledge；　to　be　critical。
  About　nine　or　ten　at　night　the　pains　of　hunger　and　cold　drove　us　to
  an　alehouse　in　the　flats　of　Bedfordshire；　not　far　from　Bedford
  itself。　　In　the　inn　kitchen　was　a　long；　lean；　characteristic…
  looking　fellow　of　perhaps　forty；　dressed　in　black。　　He　sat　on　a
  settle　by　the　fireside；　smoking　a　long　pipe；　such　as　they　call　a
  yard　of　clay。　　His　hat　and　wig　were　hanged　upon　the　knob　behind
  him；　his　head　as　bald　as　a　bladder　of　lard；　and　his　expression　very
  shrewd；　cantankerous；　and　inquisitive。　　He　seemed　to　value　himself
  above　his　company；　to　give　himself　the　airs　of　a　man　of　the　world
  among　that　rustic　herd；　which　was　often　no　more　than　his　due；
  being；　as　I　afterwards　discovered；　an　attorney's　clerk。　　I　took
  upon　myself　the　more　ungrateful　part　of　arriving　last；　and　by　the
  time　I　entered　on　the　scene　the　Major　was　already　served　at　a　side
  table。　　Some　general　conversation　must　have　passed；　and　I　smelled
  danger　in　the　air。　　The　Major　looked　flustered；　the　attorney's
  clerk　triumphant；　and　three　or　four　peasants　in　smock…frocks　（who
  sat　about　the　fire　to　play　chorus）　had　let　their　pipes　go　out。
  'Give　you　good　evening；　sir！'　said　the　attorney's　clerk　to　me。
  'The　same　to　you；　sir；'　said　I。
  'I　think　this　one　will　do；'　quoth　the　clerk　to　the　yokels　with　a
  wink；　and　then；　as　soon　as　I　had　given　my　order；　'Pray；　sir；
  whither　are　you　bound？'　he　added。
  'Sir；'　said　I；　'I　am　not　one　of　those　who　speak　either　of　their
  business　or　their　destination　in　houses　of　public　entertainment。'
  'A　good　answer；'　said　he；　'and　an　excellent　principle。　　Sir；　do　you
  speak　French？'
  'Why；　no；　sir；'　said　I。　　'A　little　Spanish　at　your　service。'
  'But　you　know　the　French　accent；　perhaps？'　said　the　clerk。
  'Well　do　I　do　that！'　said　I。　'The　French　accent？　　Why；　I　believe　I
  can　tell　a　Frenchman　in　ten　words。'
  'Here　is　a　puzzle　for　you；　then！'　he　said。　　'I　have　no　material
  doubt　myself；　but　some　of　these　gentlemen　are　more　backward。　　The
  lack　of　education；　you　know。　　I　make　bold　to　say　that　a　man　cannot
  walk；　cannot　hear；　and　cannot　see；　without　the　blessings　of
  education。'
  He　turned　to　the　Major；　whose　food　plainly　stuck　in　his　throat。
  'Now；　sir；'　pursued　the　clerk；　'let　me　have　the　pleasure　to　hear
  your　voice　again。　　Where　are　you　going；　did　you　say？'
  'Sare；　I　am　go…ing　to　Lon…don；'　said　the　Major。
  I　could　have　flung　my　plate　at　him　to　be　such　an　ass；　and　to　have
  so　little　a　gift　of　languages　where　that　was　the　essential。
  'What　think　ye　of　that？'　said　the　clerk。　　'Is　that　French　enough？'
  'Good　God！'　cried　I；　leaping　up　like　one　who　should　suddenly
  perceive　an　acquaintance；　'is　this　you；　Mr。　Dubois？　　Why；　who　would
  have　dreamed　of　encountering　you　so　far　from　home？'　　As　I　spoke；　I
  shook　hands　with　the　Major　heartily；　and　turning　to　our　tormentor；
  'Oh；　sir；　you　may　be　perfectly　reassured！　　This　is　a　very　honest
  fellow；　a　late　neighbour　of　mine　in　the　city　of　Carlisle。'
  I　thought　the　attorney　looked　put　out；　I　little　knew　the　man！
  'But　he　is　French；'　said　he；　'for　all　that？'
  'Ay；　to　be　sure！'　said　I。　　'A　Frenchman　of　the　emigration！　　None　of
  your　Buonaparte　lot。　　I　will　warrant　his　views　of　politics　to　be　as
  sound　as　your　own。'
  'What　is　a　little　strange；'　said　the　clerk　quietly；　'is　that　Mr。
  Dubois　should　deny　it。'
  I　got　it　fair　in　the　face；　and　took　it　smiling；　but　the　shock　was
  rude；　and　in　the　course　of　the　next　words　I　contrived　to　do　what　I
  have　rarely　done；　and　make　a　slip　in　my　English。　　I　kept　my　liberty
  and　life　by　my　proficiency　all　these　months；　and　for　once　that　I
  failed；　it　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　I　would　make　a　public
  exhibition　of　the　details。　　Enough；　that　it　was　a　very　little
  error；　and　one　that　might　have　passed　ninety…nine　times　in　a
  hundred。　　But　my　limb　of　the　law　was　as　swift　to　pick　it　up　as
  though　he　had　been　by　trade　a　master　of　languages。
  'Aha！'　cries　he；　'and　you　are　French；　too！　　Your　tongue　bewrays
  you。　　Two　Frenchmen　coming　into　an　alehouse；　severally　and
  accidentally；　not　knowing　each　other；　at　ten　of　the　clock　at　night；
  in　the　middle　of　Bedfordshire？　　No；　sir；　that　shall　not　pass！　　You
  are　all　prisoners　escaping；　if　you　are　nothing　worse。　　Consider
  yourselves　under　arrest。　　I　have　to　trouble　you　for　your　papers。'
  'Where　is　your　warrant；　if　you　come　to　that？'　said　I。　　'My　papers！
  A　likely　thing　that　I　would　show　my　papers　on　the　IPSE　DIXIT　of　an
  unknown　fellow　in　a　hedge　alehouse！'
  'Would　you　resist　the　law？'　says　he。
  'Not　the　law；　sir！'　said　I。　　'I　hope　I　am　too　good　a　subject　for
  that。　　But　for　a　nameless　fellow　with　a　bald　head　and　a　pair　of
  gingham　small…clothes；　why　certainly！　　'Tis　my　birthright　as　an
  Englishman。　　Where's　MAGNA　CHARTA；　else？'
  'We　will　see　about　that；'　says　he；　and　then；　addressing　the
  assistants；　'where　does　the　constable　live？'
  'Lord　love　you；　sir！'　cried　the　landlord；　'what　are　you　thinking
  of？　　The　constable　at　past　ten　at　night！　　Why；　he's　abed　and
  asleep；　and　good　and　drunk　two　hours　agone！'
  'Ah　that　a'　be！'　came　in　chorus　from　the　yokels。
  The　attorney's　clerk　was　put　to　a　stand。　　He　could　not　think　of
  force；　there　was　little　sign　of　martial　ardour　about　the　landlord；
  and　the　peasants　were　indifferent　…　they　only　listened；　and　gaped；
  and　now　scratched　a　head；　and　now　would　get　a　light　to　their　pipes
  from　the　embers　on　the　hearth。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　Major　and　I
  put　a　bold　front　on　the　business　and　defied　him；　not　without　some
  ground　of　law。　　In　this　state　of　matters　he　proposed　I　should　go
  along　with　him　to　one　Squire　Merton；　a　great　man　of　the
  neighbourhood；　who　was　in　the　commission　of　the　peace；　the　end　of
  his　avenue　but　three　lanes　away。　　I　told　him　I　would　not　stir　a
  foot　for　him　if　it　were　to　save　his　soul。　　Next　he　proposed　I
  should　stay　all　night　where　I　was；　and　the　constable　could　see　to
  my　affair　in　the　morning；　when　he　was　sober。　　I　replied　I　should　go
  when　and　where　I　pleased；　that　we　were　lawful　travellers　in　the
  fear　of　God　and　the　king；　and　I　for　one　would　suffer　myself　to　be
  stayed　by　nobody。　　At　the　same　time；　I　was　thinking　the　matter　had
  lasted　altogether　too　long；　and　I　determined　to　bring　it　to　an　end
  at　once。
  'See　here；'　said　I；　getting　up；　for　till　now　I　had　remained
  carelessly　seated；　'there's　only　one　way　to　decide　a　thing　like
  this　…　only　one　way　that's　right　ENGLISH　…　and　that's　man　to　man。
  Take　off　your　coat；　sir；　and　these　gentlemen　shall　see　fair　play。'
  At　this　there　came　a　look　in　his　eye　that　I　could　not　mistake。　　His
  education　had　been　neglected　in　one　essential　and　eminently　British
  particular：　he　could　not　box。　　No　more　could　I；　you　may　say；　but
  then　I　had　the　more　impudence　…　and　I　had　made　the　proposal。
  'He　says　I'm　no　Englishman；　but　the　proof　of　the　pudding　is　the
  eating　of　it；'　I　continued。　　And　here　I　stripped　my　coat　and　fell
  into　the　proper　attitude；　which　was　just　about　all　I　knew　of　this
  barbarian　art。　　'Why；　sir；　you　seem　to　me　to　hang　back　a　little；'
  said　I。　　'Come；　I'll　meet　you；　I'll　give　you　an　appetiser　…　though
  hang　me　if　I　can　understand　the　man　that　wants　any　enticement　to
  hold　up　his　hands。'　　I　drew　a　bank…note　out　of　my　fob　and　tossed　it
  to　the　landlord。　　'There　are　the　stakes；'　said　I。　　'I'll　fight　you
  for　first　blood；　since　you　seem　to　make　so　much　work　about　it。　　If
  you　tap　my　claret　first；　there　are　five　guineas　for　you；　and　I'll
  go　with　you　to　any　squire　you　choose　to　mention。　　If　I　tap　yours；
  you'll　perhaps　let　on　that　I'm　the　better　man；　and　allow　me　to　go
  about　my　lawful　business　at　my　own　time　and　convenience；　by　God；　is
  that　fair；　my　lads？'　says　I；　appealing　to　the　company。
  'Ay；　ay；'　said　the　chorus　of　chawbacons；　'he　can't　say　no　fairer
  nor　that；　he　can't。　　Take　off　thy　coat　master！'
  The　limb　of　the　law　was　now　on　the　wrong　side　of　public　opinion；
  and；　what　heartened　me　to　go　on；　the　position　was　rapidly　changing
  in　our　favour。　　Already　the　Major　was　paying　his　shot　to　the　very
  indifferent　landlord；　and　I　could　see　the　white　face　of　King　at　the
  back…door；　making　signals　of　haste。
  'Oho！'　quoth　my　enemy；　'you　are　as　full　of　doubles　as　a　fox；　are
  you　not？　　But　I　see　through　you；　I　see　through　and　through　you。
  You　would　change　the　venue；　would　you？'
  'I　may　be　transparent；　sir；'　says　I；　'but　if　you'll　do　me　the
  favour　to　stand　up；　you'll　find　I　can　hit　dam　hard。'
  'Which　is　a　point；　if　you　will　observe；　that　I　had　never　called　in
  question；'　said　he。　　'Why；　you　ignorant　clowns；'　he　proceeded；
  addressing　the　company；　'can't　you　see　the　fellow's　gulling　you
  before　your　eyes？　　Can't　you　see　that　he　has　changed　the　point　upon
  me？　　I　say　he's　a　French　prisoner；　and　he　answers　that　he　can　box！