after which,
flinging down his cigar, he strutted up the road, swearing to himself
about paupers.

"You say it is three miles to . . .," said the individual to me; "I think
I shall light my pipe, and smoke it as I go along." Thereupon he took
out from a side-pocket a tobacco-box and short meerschaum pipe, and
implements for striking a light, filled his pipe, lighted it, and
commenced smoking. Presently the coachman drew near, I saw at once that
there was mischief in his eye; the man smoking was standing with his back
towards him, and he came _so_ nigh to him, seemingly purposely, that as
he passed a puff of smoke came of necessity against his face. "What do
you mean by smoking in my face?" said he, striking the pipe of the
elderly individual out of his mouth. The other, without manifesting much
surprise, said, "I thank you; and if you will wait a minute, I will give
you a receipt for that favour;" then gathering up his pipe, and taking
off his coat and hat, he laid them on a stepping-block which stood near,
and rubbing his hands together, he advanced towards the coachman in an
attitude of offence, holding his hands crossed very near to his face. The
coachman, who probably expected anything but such a movement from a
person of the age and appearance of the individual whom he had insulted,
stood for a moment motionless with surprise; but recollecting himself, he
pointed at him derisively with his finger; the next moment, however, the
other was close upon him, had struck aside the extended hand with his
left fist, and given him a severe blow on the nose with his right, which
he immediately followed by a left-hand blow in the eye; then drawing his
body slightly backward, with the velocity of lightning he struck the
coachman full in the mouth, and the last blow was the severest of all,
for it cut the coachman's lips nearly through; blows so quickly and
sharply dealt I had never seen. The coachman reeled like a fir-tree in a
gale, and seemed nearly unsensed. "Ho! what's this? a fight! a fight!"
sounded from a dozen voices, and people came running from all directions
to see what was going on. The coachman, coming somewhat to himself,
disencumbered himself of his coat and hat; and, encouraged by two or
three of his brothers of the whip, showed some symptoms of fighting,
endeavouring to close with his foe, but the attempt was vain, his foe was
not to be closed with; he did not shift or dodge about, but warded off
the blo