A
Piedmontese gentleman told me an instance in which two Counts, who were
dining at an albergo, met a strange-looking man whom they took to be a
sportsman like themselves. The conversation turned upon bandits, and the
Counts expressed a hope that they might meet some, as they were well
armed and would teach them a lesson. Their companion left before them,
and walking along the road they were to take, ordered a labouring man
whom he met to stand in an adjoining vineyard and hold up a vine-stake
to his shoulder like a gun. As soon as the Counts' carriage came to the
place the bandit rushed out, seized the horses, and called upon the
Counts to deliver up their arms or he would order his men, whom they
could see in the vineyard, to fire. The Counts not only obeyed the
summons, but began to accuse one another of keeping something back.
Shortly afterwards, on a doctor boasting in the same way, the bandit
went out before him and stuck a bough in the road on which he hung a
lantern. The doctor called out who's there? and was taking a deadly aim
with his gun, when he was seized from behind and pinioned. The bandit
said he should teach him a different lesson from that he deserved, and
only deprived him of his gun.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Nomenclature--Three Classes of Words--Distinction between Wit and
Humour--Wit sometimes dangerous, generally innocuous.
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