Theysatgenerallyinaroomnextthestreet,andastheyalwayskeptlatehours,sowhenthedead—cartcameacrossthestreet—endtogointoHoundsditch,whichwasinviewofthetavernwindows,theywouldfrequentlyopenthewindowsassoonastheyheardthebellandlookoutatthem;andastheymightoftenhearsadlamentationsofpeopleinthestreetsorattheirwindowsasthecartswentalong,theywouldmaketheirimpudentmocksandjeersatthem,especiallyiftheyheardthepoorpeoplecalluponGodtohavemercyuponthem,asmanywoulddoatthosetimesintheirordinarypassingalongthestreets。
Thesegentlemen,beingsomethingdisturbedwiththeclutterofbringingthepoorgentlemanintothehouse,asabove,werefirstangryandveryhighwiththemasterofthehouseforsufferingsuchafellow,astheycalledhim,tobebroughtoutofthegraveintotheirhouse;butbeingansweredthatthemanwasaneighbour,andthathewassound,butoverwhelmedwiththecalamityofhisfamily,andthelike,theyturnedtheirangerintoridiculingthemanandhissorrowforhiswifeandchildren,tauntedhimwithwantofcouragetoleapintothegreatpitandgotoheaven,astheyjeeringlyexpressedit,alongwiththem,addingsomeveryprofaneandevenblasphemousexpressions。
TheywereatthisvileworkwhenIcamebacktothehouse,and,asfarasIcouldsee,thoughthemansatstill,muteanddisconsolate,andtheiraffrontscouldnotdiverthissorrow,yethewasbothgrievedandoffendedattheirdiscourse。UponthisIgentlyreprovedthem,beingwellenoughacquaintedwiththeircharacters,andnotunknowninpersontotwoofthem。
Theyimmediatelyfelluponmewithilllanguageandoaths,askedmewhatIdidoutofmygraveatsuchatimewhensomanyhonestermenwerecarriedintothechurchyard,andwhyIwasnotathomesayingmyprayersagainstthedead—cartcameforme,andthelike。
Iwasindeedastonishedattheimpudenceofthemen,thoughnotatalldiscomposedattheirtreatmentofme。However,Ikeptmytemper。