“'Do you think you've been robbed, or did you spend it on the lady?'
“'I don't know, sir,—but it's all gone.'
“'Well, as you seem to have paid pretty dearly for your pleasure, I shall not fine you this time, but I should advise you to take better care the next time you come to London.'
“The prisoner left the court very chop-fallen, while one of the spectators as he passed whistled in his ear the tune of
'When first in London I arrived, on a visit—on a visit!'”
Before Abel had perused half the above extract he was in ecstasies: and when he had done he cut it out of the paper with his pocket-knife, in order the easier to preserve it for future use. The story soon became known throughout the country side, as Abel made a point of reading it aloud at every public-house he called at, and on every occasion when the hero of it chanced to displease him.
The gist of the joke, however, seemed, in the general opinion, to consist in the fact that Mr. Palethorpe himself had unwittingly brought it all the way from London in his own pocket, for the edification and amusement of the community. In fact, from that day until the end of his life, that worthy never heard the last of his expedition to London.
But, how did he settle matters with his mistress? That question may be solved when other events of greater importance have been described.