protect him from giving you satisfaction." "The affair is not of any
such kind," says Booth; "I have great obligations to the colonel, and
have more reason to lament than complain; and, if I could but see him,
I am convinced I should have no cause for either; but I cannot get
within his house; it was but an hour ago a servant of his turned me
rudely from the door." "Did a servant of my brother use you rudely?"
said the colonel, with the utmost gravity. "I do not know, sir, in
what light you see such things; but, to me, the affront of a servant
is the affront of the master; and if he doth not immediately punish
it, by all the dignity of a man, I would see the master's nose between
my fingers." Booth offered to explain, but to no purpose; the colonel
was got into his stilts; and it was impossible to take him down, nay,
it was as much as Booth could possibly do to part with him without an
actual quarrel; nor would he, perhaps, have been able to have
accomplished it, had not the colonel by accident turned at last to
take Booth's side of the question; and before they separated he swore
many oaths that James should give him proper satisfaction.

Such was the end of this present interview, so little to the content
of Booth, that he was heartily concerned he had ever mentioned a
syllable of the matter to his honourable friend.



[This chapter occurs in the original edition of _Amelia,_ between 1
and 2. It is omitted later, and would have been omitted here but for
an accident. As it had been printed it may as well appear: for though
it has no great value it may interest some readers as an additional
illustration of Fielding's dislike to doctors.--ED.