, when
our adventurous youth, stepping back with one foot, laid his hand upon
the hilt of his sword, which he drew half way out of the scabbard. This
attitude, and the sight of the blade which glistened by moonlight in his
face, checked, in some sort, the ardour of his assailant, who desired
he would lay aside his toaster, and take a bout with him at equal arms.
Peregrine, who was an expert cudgel-player, accepted the invitation:
then, exchanging weapons with Pipes, who stood behind him, put himself
in a posture of defence, and received the attack of his adversary, who
struck at random, without either skill or economy. Pickle could have
beaten the cudgel out of his hand at the first blow; but as in that
case he would have been obliged in honour to give immediate quarter, he
resolved to discipline his antagonist without endeavouring to disable
him, until he should be heartily satisfied with the vengeance he had
taken. With this view be returned the salute, and raised such a clatter
about the squire's pate, that one who had heard without seeing the
application, would have taken the sound for that of a salt-box, in the
hand of a dexterous merry-andrew, belonging to one of the booths at
Bartholomew-fair. Neither was this salutation confined to his head: his
shoulders, arms, thighs, ankles, and ribs, were visited with amazing
rapidity, while Tom Pipes sounded the charge through his fist.
Peregrine, tired with his exercise, which had almost bereft his enemy of
sensation, at last struck the decisive blow, in consequence of which the
squire's weapon flew out of his grasp, and he allowed our hero to be
the better man. Satisfied with this acknowledgment, the victor walked
upstairs with such elevation of spirits and insolence of mien, that
nobody chose to intimate the resolution, which had been taken in his
absence; there, having amused himself for some time in beholding the
country-dances, he retreated to his lodging, where he indulged himself
all night in the contemplation of his own success.

Next day in the forenoon he went to visit his partner; and the
gentleman, at whose house she lived, having been informed of his family
and condition, received him with great courtesy, as the acquaintance of
his cousin Gauntlet, and invited him to dinner that same day. Emilia was
remarkably well pleased, when she understood the issue of his adventure,
which began to make some noise in town even though it deprived her of
a wealthy admirer. T