in triumph over the heads of 'the swinish multitude,' and we followed in
perfect security in his train into the town.

"Men, women, and children, crowded to the windows and doors. 'Retreat into
the first place you can,' whispered Clarence to us: we were close to him.
Harriot Freke pushed her way into a milliner's shop: I could not get in
after her, for a frightened pig turned back suddenly, and almost threw me
down. Clarence Hervey caught me, and favoured my retreat into the shop.
But poor Clarence lost his bet by his gallantry. Whilst he was manoeuvring
in my favour, the turkeys got several yards ahead of the pigs, and
reaching the market-place first, won the race.

"The French officer found great difficulty in getting safe out of the
town; but Clarence represented to the mob that he was a prisoner on his
parole, and that it would be unlike Englishmen to insult a prisoner. So he
got off without being pelted, and they both returned in safety to the
house of General Y----, where they were to dine, and where they
entertained a large party of officers with the account of this adventure.

"Mrs. Freke and I rejoiced in our escape, and we thought that the whole
business was now over; but in this we were mistaken. The news of our duel,
which had spread in the town, raised such an uproar as had never been
heard, even at the noisiest election. Would you believe it?--The fate of
the election turned upon this duel. The common people, one and all,
declared that they would not vote either for Mr. Luttridge or Mr. Freke,
because _as how_--but I need not repeat all the _platitudes_ that they
said. In short, neither ribands nor brandy could bring them to reason.
With true English pig-headedness, they went every man of them and polled
for an independent candidate of their own choosing, whose wife, forsooth,
was a proper behaved woman.