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this age rarely bestow favours on females without a view of self-gratification of some kind or other."
Before he could reply, they were summoned to dinner. Fleming, much pleased with the lady's kindness to the sick girl, and attention to himself, was particularly assiduous for her accommodation, without intending any slight to the others, or observing their haughty or indignant looks.
And here it is impossible to refrain from observing how much our own comforts in life depend upon our attention to those of others. The two ladies whose humanity was not proof against the affront of having an outside passenger, whose dress was as humble as her pretensions, obtruded on them so unceremoniously by a lieutenant, whose wrapping great coat demonstrated that he was no great things, and equally low bred and impertinent, had sat in disdainful silence till they arrived at the inn, when their anger burst forth into scornful observations, and a reprimand to the coachman for admitting such a low creature into their society, who had taken inside places.
"As to low or high," answered the man, "so they pay me the full fare, it is one and the same thing to me. Besides the poor young woman was mortal bad, and he was a goodhearted fellow that offered to pay the fare, and all passengers are alike to me."
"Then you ought never to have people of consequence in your coach, fellow, if you don't know how to behave yourself."
"I know very well how to behave myself, I don't want to affront nobody," returned coachy, "the young woman was a clean decent body, and as good as others, for the matter of that, seeing her fare will be paid."
"Don't be impertinent, fellow, it is plain you care not how you insult the ladies, so you can be paid. You would not have taken her into the coach without being sure of your money, though you presume to force her upon us."
"That's another sort of a thing. I pities the poor thing, and would serve her with all my heart, but the coach is master's property, and musn't chouse him of his fare. But wha't signifies words about it, she is an inside passenger now, and by St. Patrick he's an honest lad that lent her a hand."
The insulted ladies found it in vain to contend, they encouraged each other in the idea of affronted consequence, and displeased that their companion had followed the two low creatures, they determined to send her to Coventry, and preserve an indignant silence in the coach.
