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able symptoms in the morning change to favourIable ones at noon, and return to unfavourable again at night. Of wounds, indeed, it is rightly and truly said, Nemo repente fuit turpissimus. I ' was once, I remember, called to a patient who had received a violent contusion in his tibia, by which the exterior cutis was lacerated, so that there was 'a profuse sanguinary discharge; and the interior 'membranes were so divellicated, that the os or bone very plainly appeared through the aperture of the vulnus or wound. Some febrile symptoms intervening at the same time (for the pulse was 'exuberant and indicated much phlebotomy), I ap'prehended an immediate mortification. To prevent which, I presently made a large orifice in the vein of the left arm, whence I drew twenty ounces of blood; which I expected to have found extremely sizy and glutinous, or indeed coagulated, as it is in pleuretic complaints; but, to my sur'prise, it appeared rosy and florid, and its consistency differed little from the blood of those in 'perfect health. I then applied a fomentation to the part, which highly answered the intention; and after three or four times dressing, the wound began to discharge a thick pus or matter, by which 6 means the cohesion- - But But perhaps I do not 'make myself perfectly well understood?' 'No really,' answered the lieutenant, I cannot say I ' understand a syllable.' Well, sir,' said the surgeon, then I shall not tire your patience; in short, within six weeks my patient was able to walk upon his legs as perfectly as he could have done before he received the contusion.'-' I wish, sir,' said the lieutenant, you would be so kind only to inform me, whether the wound this young gentleman hath had the misfortune to receive, is likely to prove * mortal.' 'Sir,' answered the surgeon, to say ' whether a wound will prove mortal or not at first 'dressing, would be very weak and foolish presump

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tion: we are all mortal, and symptoms often oc'cur in a cure which the greatest of our profession 'could never foresee.' But do you think him in 'danger?' says the other. In danger! ay, surely,' cries the doctor: who is there among us, who, in "the most perfect health, can be said not to be in danger? Can a man, therefore, with so bad a ' wound as this be said to be out of danger? All I can say at present is, that it is well I was called as "I was, and perhaps it would have been better if I had been called sooner. I will see him again early in the morning; and in the mean time let him be kept extremely quiet, and drink liberally of watergruel.'-'Won't you allow him sack-whey?' said the landlady. Ay, ay, sack-whey,' cries the doctor, if you will, provided it be very small.'-' And a little chicken broth too?' added she. Yes, yes, chicken broth,' said the doctor, is very good.'Mayn't I make him some jellies too?' said the landlady. Ay, ay,' answered the doctor; 'jellies ' are very good for wounds, for they promote cohe'sion.' And indeed it was lucky she had not named soup or high sauces, for the doctor would have complied, rather than have lost the custom of the house.

The doctor was no sooner gone, than the landlady began to trumpet forth his fame to the lieutenant, who had not, from their short acquaintance, conceived quite so favourable an opinion of his physical abilities as the good woman, and all the neighbourhood, entertained (and perhaps very rightly); for though I am afraid the doctor was a little of a coxcomb, he might be nevertheless very much of a

surgeon.

The lieutenant having collected from the learned discourse of the surgeon that Mr. Jones was in great danger, gave orders for keeping Mr. Northerton under a very strict guard, designing in the morning to attend him to a justice of peace, and to commit

the conducting the troops to Gloucester to the French lieutenant, who, though he could neither read, write, nor speak any language, was, however, a good officer.

In the evening, our commander sent a message to Mr. Jones, that if a visit would not be troublesome, he would wait on him. This civility was very kindly and thankfully received by Jones, and the lieutenant accordingly went up to his room, where he found the wounded man much better than he expected; nay, Jones assured his friend, that if he had not received express orders to the contrary from the surgeon, he should have got up long ago; for he appeared to himself to be as well as ever, and felt no other inconvenience from his wound but an extreme soreness on that side of his head.

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'I should be very glad,' quoth the lieutenant, if you was as well as you fancy yourself, for then you could be able to do yourself justice immediately; for when a matter can't be made up, as in a case of a blow, the sooner you take him out the 'better; but I am afraid you think yourself better 'than you are, and he would have too much advan'tage over you.'

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I'll try, however,' answered Jones, if you please, ' and will be so kind to lend me a sword, for I have 5 none here of my own.'

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My sword is heartily at your service, my dear boy, cries the lieutenant, kissing him; you are a brave lad, and I love your spirit; but I fear your 'strength; for such a blow, and so much loss of 'blood, must have very much weakened you; and though you feel no want of strength in your bed, yet you most probably would after a thrust or two. 'I can't consent to your taking him out to-night; but I hope you will be able to come up with us before we get many days' march advance; and I give you my honour you shall have satisfaction, or

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the man who hath injured you shan't stay in our ' regiment.'

'I wish,' said Jones, it was possible to decide this matter to-night: now you have mentioned it to me, 'I shall not be able to rest.'

'Oh, never think of it,' returned the other: 'a few days will make no difference. The wounds of 'honour are not like those in your body: they 'suffer nothing by the delay of cure. It will be altogether as well for you to receive satisfaction a week hence as now.'

'But suppose,' says Jones, I should grow worse, ' and die of the consequences of my present wound.' Then your honour,' answered the lieutenant, will require no reparation at all. I myself will 'do justice to your character, and testify to the world your intention to have acted properly, if you had recovered.'

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Still,' replied Jones, I am concerned at the delay. I am almost afraid to mention it to you 'who are a soldier; but though I have been a very 'wild young fellow, still, in my most serious mo'ments, and at the bottom, I am really a christian.' So am I too, I assure you,' said the officer; and 'so zealous a one, that I was pleased with you at ' dinner for taking up the cause of your religion ; and I am a little offended with you now, young 'gentleman, that you should express a fear of declaring your faith before any one.'

But how terrible must it be,' cries Jones, to any one who is really a christian, to cherish malice in his breast, in opposition to the command of him 'who hath expressly forbid it? How can I bear to do this on a sick-bed? Or how shall I make up my account, with such an article as this in my bosom ' against me?'

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Why, I believe there is such a command,' cries the lieutenant; but a man of honour can't keep it.

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And you must be a man of honour, if you be in the army. I remember I once put the case to our chaplain over a bowl of punch, and he confessed there was much difficulty in it; but he said, he hoped there might be a latitude granted to 'soldiers in this one instance; and to be sure it is our duty to hope so; for who would bear to live without his honour? No, no, my dear boy, be a good christian as long as you live; but be a man of honour too, and never put up an affront; not all the books, nor all the parsons in the world, shall ever persuade me to that. I love my religion very well, but I love my honour more. There must 2 be some mistake in the wording of the text, or in the translation, or in the understanding it, or somewhere or other. But however that be, a man must run the risk, for he must preserve his honour. So compose yourself to-night, and I promise you you shall have an opportunity of doing yourself justice.' Here he gave Jones a hearty buss, shook him by the hand, and took his leave.

But though the lieutenant's reasoning was very satisfactory to himself, it was not entirely so to his friend. Jones therefore having revolved this matter much in his thoughts, at last came to a resolution, which the reader will find in the next chapter.

CHAP. XIV.

most dreadful chapter indeed; and which few readers ought to venture upon in an evening, especially when alone.

JONES swallowed a large mess of chicken, or father cock, broth, with a very good appetite, as indeed he would have done the cock it was made of, with a pound of bacon into the bargain; and how, finding in himself no deficiency of either

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