assistance they had owed their deliverance from the lower world.
We answered we should not fail in any complacence which was usual
to others; upon which our host replied he would immediately send
porters to conduct us. He had not long quitted the room before
we were attended by some of those grave persons whom I have
before described in large tie-wigs with amber-headed canes.
These gentlemen are the ticket-porters in the city, and their
canes are the insignia, or tickets, denoting their office. We
informed them of the several ladies to whom we were obliged, and
were preparing to follow them, when on a sudden they all stared
at one another, and left us in a hurry, with a frown on every
countenance. We were surprised at this behavior, and presently
summoned the host, who was no sooner acquainted with it than he
burst into an hearty laugh, and told us the reason was, because
we did not fee the gentlemen the moment they came in, according
to the custom of the place. We answered, with some confusion, we
had brought nothing with us from the other world, which we had
been all our lives informed was not lawful to do. "No, no,
master," replied the host; "I am apprised of that, and indeed it
was my fault. I should have first sent you to my lord Scrape,[7]
who would have supplied you with what you want." "My lord Scrape
supply us!" said I, with astonishment: "sure you must know we
cannot give him security; and I am convinced he never lent a
shilling without it in his life." "No, sir," answered the host,
"and for that reason he is obliged to do it here, where he is
sentenced to keep a bank, and to distribute money gratis to all
passengers. This bank originally consisted of just that sum,
which he had miserably hoarded up in the other world, and he is
to perceive it decrease visibly one shilling a-day, till it is
totally exhausted; after which he is to return to the other