for a few moments, the new-comer requested the host to hand him a
night-cap, which he would find in his hat. He did so: it was a red
worsted one; and he put it upon his head. Here the exciseman broke
silence, by ejaculating, 'Red again!' The landlady gave him an
admonitory knock on the elbow: it was too late. The stranger heard his
remark, and regarded him with one of those piercing glances for which
his fiery eye seemed so remarkable. 'All red!' murmured the parson once
more. 'Yes, Doctor Poundtext, the gentleman, as you say, is all red,'
re-echoed the schoolmaster, who by this time had recovered his
self-possession. He would have gone on, but the landlady gave him a
fresh admonition, by trampling upon his toes; and her husband winked in
token of silence.

"As in the case of the exciseman, the warnings were too late. 'Now,
landlord,' said the stranger, after he had been seated a minute, 'may I
trouble you to get me a pipe and a can of your best Burton? But, first
of all, open my portmanteau, and give me out my slippers.' The host did
as he was desired, and produced a pair of red morocco slippers. Here an
involuntary exclamation broke out from the company. It began with the
parson, and was taken up by the schoolmaster, the exciseman, the
landlady, and the landlord, in succession. 'More red!' proceeded from
every lip, with different degrees of loudness. The landlord's was the
least loud, the schoolmaster's the loudest of all. 'I suppose,
gentlemen,' said the stranger, 'you were remarking upon my
slippers.'--'Eh--yes! we were just saying that they were red,' replied
the schoolmaster. 'And pray,' demanded the other, as he raised the pipe
to his mouth, 'did you never before see a pair of red slippers?' This
question staggered the respondent; he said nothing, but looked to the
parson for assistance. 'But you are all red,' observed the latter,
taking a full draught from a foaming tankard which he held in his hand.