XVII
As Mrs.¬†BridgetвАЩs finger and thumb were upon the latch, the corporal did not knock as oft as perchance your honourвАЩs tailorвБ†вЄЇвБ†I might have taken my example something nearer home; for I owe mine, some five and twenty pounds at least, and wonder at the manвАЩs patienceвБ†вЄЇвБ†
вЄЇвБ†But this is nothing at all to the world: only вАЩtis a cursed thing to be in debt, and there seems to be a fatality in the exchequers of some poor princes, particularly those of our house, which no Economy can bind down in irons: for my own part, IвАЩm persuaded there is not any one prince, prelate, pope, or potentate, great or small upon earth, more desirous in his heart of keeping straight with the world than I amвБ†вЄЇвБ†or who takes more likely means for it. I never give above half a guineaвБ†вЄЇвБ†or walk with bootsвБ†вЄЇвБ†or cheapen toothpicksвБ†вЄЇвБ†or lay out a shilling upon a bandbox the year round; and for the six months IвАЩm in the country, IвАЩm upon so small a scale, that with all the good temper in the world, I outdo Rousseau, a bar lengthвБ†вЄїfor I keep neither man or boy, or horse, or cow, or dog, or cat, or anything that can eat or drink, except a thin poor piece of a Vestal (to keep my fire in), and who has generally as bad an appetite as myselfвБ†вЄЇвБ†but if you think this makes a philosopher of meвБ†вЄЇвБ†I would not my good people! give a rush for your judgments.
True philosophyвБ†вЄЇвБ†but there is no treating the subject whilst my uncle is whistling Lillabullero.
вЄЇвБ†Let us go into the house.