"Oh you coward! oh you coward!" screamed out the woman; "strike a woman, hay! here's a coward for you!"
"Oh! Mr. Elliston," said I, shaking my head at him, as he stood at the carriage window.
"I only touched her just so," said Elliston, tapping me on the head.
"Just so!" repeated his fair antagonist, "why he has half kill'd me; here, watchman! watchman!"
The rattle was sprung, and behold Elliston and Livius surrounded by the guardians of the night.
What became of the coachman I know not; but, in about five minutes more, Elliston jumped into the carriage and ordered the footman to drive to Mr. Livius's Hotel in Dover Street.
"Where is Livius?" asked we all three in a breath.
"Gone to the watch-house," said Elliston, with the most perfect composure.
"What has he done?" inquired the young lady in a pet, declaring that no one had been to blame but Mr. Elliston; therefore she would not stir till Mr. Livius was safe.
"Nonsense, nonsense! fair lady. Let him use my name at the watch-house!"
"Where, I presume, you are well known, Mr. Mountebank," added I.
"One of us must have gone," said Elliston, laughing, "and I tell you he will join us before we have finished our supper. It serves him right for having a drunken coachman. Why all our necks would have been broken by this time, but for me."
"To hear that man talk," said George Lamb, "one might almost be led to believe he was a very fine fellow!"
On our arrival at Livius's lodgings in Dover Street, we found an elegant, cold supper laid out, with plenty of champagne on the side-board.
"Your master is gone to the watch-house," said Elliston, "and has requested me to do the honours. Ah! ah!" continued he, taking up one of the soup plates, "we have white soup, I presume. I am very fond of white soup, and am very hungry. Pray, bring it up directly."
The young lady and I declare that it was a shame and a sin to sit down without Livius.
George Lamb begged leave to differ in opinion; because he wanted his supper.
Elliston insisted, and the white soup made its appearance. In about a quarter of an hour after we were seated, Livius entered the room quite out of breath.
"Did not I tell you he would soon join us?" said Elliston. "Sit down, my dear Livius. Your white soup was so excellent, that there is none left. You used my name, of course, at the watch-house?"
