All this time Paunceford carefully and artfully avoided
particular discussions with his old patron, who had too much
spirit to drop the most distant hint of balancing the account of
obligation: that, nevertheless, a man of his feelings could not
but resent this shocking return for all his kindness: and,
therefore, he withdrew himself from the connexion, without coming
to the least explanation or speaking a syllable on the subject to
any living soul; so that now their correspondence is reduced to a
slight salute with the hat, when they chance to meet in any
public place; an accident that rarely happens, for their walks
lie different ways. Mr Paunceford lives in a palace, feeds upon
dainties, is arrayed in sumptuous apparel, appears in all the
pomp of equipage, and passes his time among the nobles of the
land. Serle lodges in Stall-street, up two pair of stairs
backwards, walks a-foot in a Bath-rug, eats for twelve shillings
a-week, and drinks water as preservative against the gout and
gravel -- Mark the vicissitude. Paunceford once resided in a
garret; where he subsisted upon sheep's-trotters and cow-heel,
from which commons he was translated to the table of Serle, that
ever abounded with good-chear; until want of economy and
retention reduced him to a slender annuity in his decline of
years, that scarce affords the bare necessaries of life.
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