dragons；　and　sometimes　I　would　narrate　to　her　other　things　far　more
  genuine　…　how　I　had　tamed　savage　mares；　wrestled　with　Satan；　and
  had　dealings　with　ferocious　publishers。　　Belle　had　a　kind　heart；
  and　would　weep　at　the　accounts　I　gave　her　of　my　early　wrestlings
  with　the　dark　Monarch。　　She　would　sigh；　too；　as　I　recounted　the
  many　slights　and　degradations　I　had　received　at　the　hands　of
  ferocious　publishers；　but　she　had　the　curiosity　of　a　woman；　and
  once；　when　I　talked　to　her　of　the　triumphs　which　I　had　achieved
  over　unbroken　mares；　she　lifted　up　her　head　and　questioned　me　as　to
  the　secret　of　the　virtue　which　I　possessed　over　the　aforesaid
  animals；　whereupon　I　sternly　reprimanded；　and　forthwith　commanded
  her　to　repeat　the　Armenian　numerals；　and；　on　her　demurring；　I　made
  use　of　words；　to　escape　which　she　was　glad　to　comply；　saying　the
  Armenian　numerals　from　one　to　a　hundred；　which　numerals；　as　a
  punishment　for　her　curiosity；　I　made　her　repeat　three　times；
  loading　her　with　the　bitterest　reproaches　whenever　she　committed
  the　slightest　error；　either　in　accent　or　pronunciation；　which
  reproaches　she　appeared　to　bear　with　the　greatest　patience。　　And
  now　I　have　given　a　very　fair　account　of　the　manner　in　which　Isopel
  Berners　and　myself　passed　our　time　in　the　dingle。
  CHAPTER　XCII
  The　landlord　…　Rather　too　old　…　Without　a　shilling　…　Reputation　…　A
  fortnight　ago　…　Liquids　…　The　main　chance　…　Respectability　…
  Irrational　beings　…　Parliament　cove　…　My　brewer。
  AMONGST　other　excursions；　I　went　several　times　to　the　public…house
  to　which　I　introduced　the　reader　in　a　former　chapter。　　I　had
  experienced　such　beneficial　effects　from　the　ale　I　had　drunk　on
  that　occasion；　that　I　wished　to　put　its　virtue　to　a　frequent　test；
  nor　did　the　ale　on　subsequent　trials　belie　the　good　opinion　which　I
  had　at　first　formed　of　it。　　After　each　visit　which　I　made　to　the
  public…house；　I　found　my　frame　stronger　and　my　mind　more　cheerful
  than　they　had　previously　been。　　The　landlord　appeared　at　all　times
  glad　to　see　me；　and　insisted　that　I　should　sit　within　the　bar；
  where；　leaving　his　other　guests　to　be　attended　to　by　a　niece　of
  his；　who　officiated　as　his　housekeeper；　he　would　sit　beside　me　and
  talk　of　matters　concerning　'the　ring；'　indulging　himself　with　a
  cigar　and　a　glass　of　sherry；　which　he　told　me　was　his　favourite
  wine；　whilst　I　drank　my　ale。　　'I　loves　the　conversation　of　all　you
  coves　of　the　ring；'　said　he　once；　'which　is　natural；　seeing　as　how
  I　have　fought　in　a　ring　myself。　　Ah；　there　is　nothing　like　the
  ring；　I　wish　I　was　not　rather　too　old　to　go　again　into　it。　　I　often
  think　I　should　like　to　have　another　rally　…　one　more　rally；　and
  then　…　but　there's　a　time　for　all　things　…　youth　will　be　served；
  every　dog　has　his　day；　and　mine　has　been　a　fine　one　…　let　me　be
  content。　　After　beating　Tom　of　Hopton；　there　was　not　much　more　to
  be　done　in　the　way　of　reputation；　I　have　long　sat　in　my　bar　the
  wonder　and　glory　of　this　here　neighbourhood。　　I'm　content；　as　far
  as　reputation　goes；　I　only　wish　money　would　come　in　a　little
  faster；　however；　the　next　main　of　cocks　will　bring　me　in　something
  handsome　…　comes　off　next　Wednesday；　at　…；　have　ventured　ten　five…
  pound　notes　…　shouldn't　say　ventured　either　…　run　no　risk　at　all；
  because　why？　　I　knows　my　birds。'　　About　ten　days　after　this
  harangue　I　called　again；　at　about　three　o'clock　one　afternoon。　　The
  landlord　was　seated　on　a　bench　by　a　table　in　the　common　room；　which
  was　entirely　empty；　he　was　neither　smoking　nor　drinking；　but　sat
  with　his　arms　folded；　and　his　head　hanging　down　over　his　breast。
  At　the　sound　of　my　step　he　looked　up；　'Ah；'　said　he；　'I　am　glad　you
  are　come；　I　was　just　thinking　about　you。'　　'Thank　you；'　said　I；　'it
  was　very　kind　of　you；　especially　at　a　time　like　this；　when　your
  mind　must　be　full　of　your　good　fortune。　　Allow　me　to　congratulate
  you　on　the　sums　of　money　you　won　by　the　main　of　cocks　at　…。　　I　hope
  you　brought　it　all　safe　home。'　　'Safe　home！'　said　the　landlord；　'I
  brought　myself　safe　home；　and　that　was　all；　came　home　without　a
  shilling；　regularly　done；　cleaned　out。'　　'I　am　sorry　for　that；'
  said　I；　'but　after　you　had　won　the　money；　you　ought　to　have　been
  satisfied；　and　not　risked　it　again　…　how　did　you　lose　it？　　I　hope
  not　by　the　pea　and　thimble。'　　'Pea　and　thimble；'　said　the　landlord
  …　'not　I；　those　confounded　cocks　left　me　nothing　to　lose　by　the　pea
  and　thimble。'　　'Dear　me；'　said　I；　'I　thought　that　you　knew　your
  birds。'　　'Well；　so　I　did；'　said　the　landlord；　'I　knew　the　birds　to
  be　good　birds；　and　so　they　proved；　and　would　have　won　if　better
  birds　had　not　been　brought　against　them；　of　which　I　knew　nothing；
  and　so　do　you　see　I　am　done；　regularly　done。'　　'Well；'　said　I；
  'don't　be　cast　down；　there　is　one　thing　of　which　the　cocks　by　their
  misfortune　cannot　deprive　you　…　your　reputation；　make　the　most　of
  that；　give　up　cock…fighting；　and　be　content　with　the　custom　of　your
  house；　of　which　you　will　always　have　plenty；　as　long　as　you　are　the
  wonder　and　glory　of　the　neighbourhood。'
  The　landlord　struck　the　table　before　him　violently　with　his　fist。
  'Confound　my　reputation！'　said　he。　　'No　reputation　that　I　have　will
  be　satisfaction　to　my　brewer　for　the　seventy　pounds　I　owe　him。
  Reputation　won't　pass　for　the　current　coin　of　this　here　realm；　and
  let　me　tell　you；　that　if　it　ain't　backed　by　some　of　it；　it　ain't　a
  bit　better　than　rotten　cabbage；　as　I　have　found。　　Only　three　weeks
  since　I　was；　as　I　told　you；　the　wonder　and　glory　of　the
  neighbourhood；　and　people　used　to　come　to　look　at　me；　and　worship
  me；　but　as　soon　as　it　began　to　be　whispered　about　that　I　owed　money
  to　the　brewer；　they　presently　left　off　all　that　kind　of　thing；　and
  now；　during　the　last　three　days；　since　the　tale　of　my　misfortune
  with　the　cocks　has　got　wind；　almost　everybody　has　left　off　coming
  to　the　house；　and　the　few　who　does；　merely　comes　to　insult　and
  flout　me。　　It　was　only　last　night　that　fellow；　Hunter；　called　me　an
  old　fool　in　my　own　kitchen　here。　　He　wouldn't　have　called　me　a　fool
  a　fortnight　ago；　'twas　I　called　him　fool　then；　and　last　night　he
  called　me　old　fool；　what　do　you　think　of　that？　…　the　man　that　beat
  Tom　of　Hopton；　to　be　called；　not　only　a　fool；　but　an　old　fool；　and
  I　hadn't　heart；　with　one　blow　of　this　here　fist　into　his　face；　to
  send　his　head　ringing　against　the　wall；　for　when　a　man's　pocket　is
  low；　do　you　see；　his　heart　ain't　much　higher；　but　it　is　of　no　use
  talking；　something　must　be　done。　　I　was　thinking　of　you　just　as　you
  came　in；　for　you　are　just　the　person　that　can　help　me。'
  'If　you　mean；'　said　I；　'to　ask　me　to　lend　you　the　money　which　you
  want；　it　will　be　to　no　purpose；　as　I　have　very　little　of　my　own；
  just　enough　for　my　own　occasions；　it　is　true；　if　you　desired　it；　I
  would　be　your　intercessor　with　the　person　to　whom　you　owe　the
  money；　though　I　should　hardly　imagine　that　anything　I　could　say　…　'
  'You　are　right　there；'　said　the　landlord；　'much　the　brewer　would
  care　for　anything　you　could　say　on　my　behalf　…　your　going　would　be
  the　very　way　to　do　me　up　entirely。　　A　pretty　opinion　he　would　have
  of　the　state　of　my　affairs　if　I　were　to　send　him　such　a　'cessor　as
  you；　and　as　for　your　lending　me　money；　don't　think　I　was　ever　fool
  enough　to　suppose　either　that　you　had　any；　or　if　you　had　that　you
  would　be　fool　enough　to　lend　me　any。　　No；　no；　the　coves　of　the　ring
  knows　better；　I　have　been　in　the　ring　myself；　and　knows　what　a
  fighting　cove　is；　and　though　I　was　fool　enough　to　back　those　birds；
  I　was　never　quite　fool　enough　to　lend　anybody　money。　　What　I　am
  about　to　propose　is　something　very　different　from　going　to　my
  landlord；　or　lending　any　capital；　something　which；　though　it　will
  put　money　into　my　pocket；　will　likewise　put　something　handsome　into
  your　own。　　I　want　to　get　up　a　fight　in　this　here　neighbourhood；
  which　would　be　sure　to　bring　plenty　of　people　to　my　house；　for　a
  week　before　and　after　it　takes　place；　and　as　people　can't　come
  without　drinking；　I　think　I　could；　during　one　fortnight；　get　off
  for　the　brewer　all　the　sour　and　unsaleable　liquids　he　now　has；
  which　people　wouldn't　drink　at　any　other　time；　and　by　that　means；
  do　you　see；　liquidate　my　debt；　then；　by　means　of　betting；　making
  first　all　right；　do　you　see；　I　have　no　doubt　that　I　could　put
  something　handsome　into　my　pocket　and　yours；　for　I　should　wish　you
  to　be　the　fighting　man；　as　I　think　I　can　depend　upon　you。'　　'You
  really　must　excuse　me；'　said　I；　'I　have　no　wish　to　figure　as　a
  pugilist；　besides；　there　is　such　a　difference　in　our　ages；　you　may
  be　the　stronger　man　of　the　two；　and　perhaps　the　hardest　hitter；　but
  I　am　in　much　better　condition；　am　more　active　on　my　legs；　so　that　I
  am　almost　sure　I　should　have　the　advantage；　for；　as　you　very
  properly　observed；　〃Youth　will　be　served。〃'　　'Oh；　I　didn't　mean　to
  fight；'　said　the　landlor