The plaintiff, according to the direction he received, repaired
to the house of the accused; and his indignation being inflamed at
finding the story had already circulated among his acquaintance,
he told him, with evident marks of displeasure, that he was come
to pluck the same brace of crows which he said he had disgorged.
The defendant, seeing him very much irritated, positively denied
that he had mentioned a brace: "One indeed," said he, "I own I took
notice of, upon the authority of your own physician, who gave me
an account of it this morning."--"By the Lord!" cried the sufferer,
in a rage, which he could no longer contain, "that rascal has been
suborned by my rival to slander my character in this manner: but
I'll be revenged, if there be either law or equity in England."
He had scarce pronounced these words, when the doctor happened to
enter the room: when his exasperated patient lifting up his cane,
"Sirrah," said he, "if I live, I'll make that black crow the blackest
circumstance of thy whole life and conversation." The physician,
confounded at this address, assured him that he was utterly
ignorant of his meaning, and, when the other gentleman explained
it, absolutely denied the charge, affirming he had said no more than
that he had vomited a quantity of something as black as a crow.
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