“If I had you in a proper place,” cries the clergyman, “you should find I would strike a blow, and a pretty hard one too.”
“There,” cries my lord, “there is the meekness of the clergyman—there spoke the wolf in sheep’s clothing. D—n me, how big he looks! You must be civil to him, faith! or else he will burst with pride.”
“Ay, ay,” cries Jack, “let the clergy alone for pride; there’s not a lord in the kingdom now hath half the pride of that fellow.”
“Pray, sir,” cries the doctor, turning to the other, “are you a lord?”
“Yes, Mr. ——,” cries he, “I have that honour, indeed.”
“And I suppose you have pride too,” said the doctor.
“I hope I have, sir,” answered he, “at your service.”
“If such a one as you, sir,” cries the doctor, “who are not only a scandal to the title you bear as a lord, but even as a man, can pretend to pride, why will you not allow it to a clergyman? I suppose, sir, by your dress, you are in the army? and, by the ribbon in your hat, you seem to be proud of that too. How much greater and more honourable is the service in which that gentleman is enlisted than yours! Why then should you object to the pride of the clergy, since the lowest of the function is in reality every way so much your superior?”
“Tida Tidu Tidum,” cries my lord.
“However, gentlemen,” cries the doctor, “if you have the least pretension to that name, I beg you will put an end to your frolic; since you see it gives so much uneasiness to the lady. Nay, I entreat you for your own sakes, for here is one coming who will talk to you in a very different stile from ours.”