ot be easy to say; but just at
this very critical juncture, and while the drunken latheron was casting
herself into antic shapes of distress, and flourishing with her hands and
arms to the heavens at my imputed cruelty, two of the town-officers came
up, which gave me courage to act a decisive part; so I gave over to them
Mrs Beaufort, with all her airs, and, going myself to the guardhouse,
brought a file of soldiers, and so quelled the riot. But from that night
I thought it prudent to eschew every allusion to Mrs Fenton, and tacitly
to forgive even Swinton for the treatment I had received from him, by
seeming as if I had not noticed him, although I had singled him out by
name.

Mrs Pawkie, on hearing what I had suffered from Mrs Beaufort, was very
zealous that I should punish her to the utmost rigour of the law, even to
drumming her out of the town; but forbearance was my best policy, so I
only persuaded my colleagues to order the players to decamp, and to give
the Tappit-hen notice, that it would be expedient for the future sale of
her pies and porter, at untimeous hours, and that she should flit her
howff from our town. Indeed, what pleasure would it have been to me to
have dealt unmercifully, either towards the one or the other? for surely
the gentle way of keeping up a proper respect for magistrates, and others
in authority, should ever be preferred; especially, as in cases like
this, where there had been no premeditated wrong. And I say this with
the greater sincerity; for in my secret conscience, when I think of the
affair at this distance of time, I am pricked not a little in reflecting
how I had previously crowed and triumphed over poor Mr Hickery, in the
matter of his mortification at the time of Miss Peggy Dainty's false
step.

CHAPTER XXXVII--THE DUEL

Heretofore all my magisterial undertakings and concerns had thriven in a
very satisfactory manner. I was, to be sure, now and then, as I have
narrated, subjected to opposition, and squibs, and a jeer; and envious
and spiteful persons were not wanting in the world to call in question my
intents and motives, representing my best endeavours for the public good
as but a right-handed method to secure my own interests. It would be a
vain thing of me to deny, that, at the beginning of my career, I was
misled by the wily examples of the past times, who thought that, in
taking on them to serve the community, they had a privilege to see that
they were ful