"*- "No offence, I hope, sir," said the serjeant;
"where, then, if I may venture to be so bold, may you and your
friend be travelling?"- "You have now denominated us right," says
Partridge. "Amicis sumus. And I promise you my friend is one of the
greatest gentlemen in the kingdom" (at which words both landlord and
landlady pricked up their ears). "He is the heir of Squire
Allworthy."- "What, the squire who doth so much good all over the
country?" cries my landlady. "Even he," answered Partridge.- "Then I
warrant," says she, "he'll have a swinging great estate hereafter."-
"Most certainly," answered Partridge.- "Well," replied the landlady,
"I thought the first moment I saw him he looked like a good sort of
gentleman; but my husband here, to be sure, is wiser than anybody."-
"I own, my dear," cries he, "it was a mistake."- "A mistake, indeed!"
answered she; "but when did you ever know me to make such mistakes?"-
"But how comes it, sir," cries the landlord, "that such a great
gentleman walks about the country afoot?"- "I don't know," returned
Partridge; "great gentlemen have humours sometimes. He hath now a
dozen horses and servants at Gloucester; and nothing would serve him,
but last night, it being very hot wheather, he must cool himself with
a walk to yon high hill, whither I likewise walked with him to bear
him company; but if ever you catch me there again: for I was never so
frightened in all my life. We met with the strangest man there.
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