ie-wigs with amber-headed canes.
These gentlemen are the ticket-porters in the city, and their canes are
the insignia, or tickets, denoting their office. We informed them of
the several ladies to whom we were obliged, and were preparing to follow
them, when on a sudden they all stared at one another, and left us in
a hurry, with a frown on every countenance. We were surprised at this
behavior, and presently summoned the host, who was no sooner acquainted
with it than he burst into an hearty laugh, and told us the reason was,
because we did not fee the gentlemen the moment they came in, according
to the custom of the place. We answered, with some confusion, we had
brought nothing with us from the other world, which we had been all our
lives informed was not lawful to do. "No, no, master," replied the host;
"I am apprised of that, and indeed it was my fault. I should have first
sent you to my lord Scrape, [7] who would have supplied you with what
you want." "My lord Scrape supply us!" said I, with astonishment: "sure
you must know we cannot give him security; and I am convinced he never
lent a shilling without it in his life." "No, sir," answered the host,
"and for that reason he is obliged to do it here, where he is sentenced
to keep a bank, and to distribute money gratis to all passengers. This
bank originally consisted of just that sum, which he had miserably
hoarded up in the other world, and he is to perceive it decrease visibly
one shilling a-day, till it is totally exhausted; after which he is to
return to the other world, and perform the part of a miser for seventy
years; then, being purified in the body of a hog, he is to enter the
human species again, and take a second trial." "Sir," said I, "you tell
me wonders: but if his bank be to decrease only a shilling a day, how
can he furnish all passengers?" "The rest," answered the host, "is
supplied again; but in a manner which I cannot easily explain to you."
"I apprehend," said I, "this distribution of his money is inflicted on
him as a punishment; but I do not see how it can answer that end, when
he knows it is to be restored to him again. Would it not serve the
purpose as well if he parted only with the single shilling, which it
seems is all he is really to lose?" "Sir," cries the host, "when you
observe the agonies with which he parts with every guinea, you will
be of another opinion. No prisoner condemned to death ever begged so
heartily for transportation as he,