⸺⁠Boulogne!⁠⸺⁠hah!⁠⸺⁠so we are all got together⁠⸺⁠debtors and sinners before heaven; a jolly set of us⁠—but I can’t stay and quaff it off with you⁠—I’m pursued myself like a hundred devils, and shall be overtaken, before I can well change horses:⁠⸺⁠for heaven’s sake, make haste⁠⸺’Tis for high-treason, quoth a very little man, whispering as low as he could to a very tall man, that stood next him⁠⸺⁠Or else for murder; quoth the tall man⁠⸺⁠Well thrown, Size-ace! quoth I. No; quoth a third, the gentleman has been committing⁠⸺.

Ah! ma chere fille! said I, as she tripp’d by from her matins⁠—you look as rosy as the morning (for the sun was rising, and it made the compliment the more gracious)⁠—No; it can’t be that, quoth a fourth⁠⸺(she made a curt’sy to me⁠—I kiss’d my hand) ’tis debt, continued he: ’Tis certainly for debt; quoth a fifth; I would not pay that gentleman’s debts, quoth Ace, for a thousand pounds; nor would I, quoth Size, for six times the sum⁠—Well thrown, Size-ace, again! quoth I;⁠—but I have no debt but the debt of Nature, and I want but patience of her, and I will pay her every farthing I owe her⁠⸺⁠How can you be so hardhearted, Madam, to arrest a poor traveller going along without molestation to anyone upon his lawful occasions? do stop that death-looking, long-striding scoundrel of a scare-sinner, who is posting after me⁠⸺⁠he never would have followed me but for you⁠⸺⁠if it be but for a stage or two, just to give me start of him, I beseech you, madam⁠⸺⁠do, dear lady⁠⸺⁠

⸺⁠Now, in troth, ’tis a great pity, quoth mine Irish host, that all this good courtship should be lost; for the young gentlewoman has been after going out of hearing of it all along.⁠⸺⁠

⸺⁠Simpleton! quoth I.

⸺⁠So you have nothing else in Boulogne worth seeing?

—By Jasus! there is the finest Seminary for the Humanities⁠⸺⁠

—There cannot be a finer; quoth I.