anditsohappenedthattheblowwhichIstrucktheTinkerbeneaththeearwasaright-handedblow。
’HurrahforLongMelford!’IheardBelleexclaim；’thereisnothinglikeLongMelfordforshortness，alltheworldover。’AtthesewordsIturnedroundmyheadasIlay，andperceivedtheFlamingTinmanstretcheduponthegroundapparentlysenseless。’Heisdead，’saidthevulgarwoman，asshevainlyendeavouredtoraisehimup；’heisdead；thebestmaninallthenorthcountry，killedinthisfashion，byaboy!’Alarmedatthesewords，Imadeshifttogetonmyfeet；and，withtheassistanceofthewoman，placedmyfallenadversaryinasittingposture。Iputmyhandtohisheart，andfeltaslightpulsation-’He’snotdead，’saidI，’onlystunned；ifhewereletblood，hewouldrecoverpresently。’I
producedapenknifewhichIhadinmypocket，and，baringthearmoftheTinman，wasabouttomakethenecessaryincision，whenthewomangavemeaviolentblow，and，pushingmeaside，exclaimed，’I’llteartheeyesoutofyourheadifyouoffertotouchhim。Doyouwanttocompleteyourwork，andmurderhimoutright，nowhe’sasleep？youhavehadenoughofhisbloodalready。’’Youaremad，’
saidI，’Ionlyseektodohimservice。Well，ifyouwon’tlethimbeblooded，fetchsomewaterandflingitinhisface，youknowwherethepitis。’
’Aprettymanoeuvre!’saidthewoman；’leavemyhusbandinthehandsofyouandthatlimmer，whohasneverbeentruetous-I