Shedidnotwastetimeontherestoftheaudience。Shewentdirectforthatcoalheaver，andthereuponensuedaslangingmatchthememoryofwhichsendsatrillofadmirationthroughmeeventothisday。Itwasabattleworthyofthegods。Hewasaheaverofcoals，quickandreadybeyondhiskind。DuringmanyyearssojournEastandSouth，inthecourseofmanywanderingsfromBillingsgatetoLimehouseHole，fromPetticoatLanetoWhite—chapelRoad；outofeel—pieshopandpennygaff；outoftavernandstreet，andcourtanddoss—house，hehadgatheredtogetherslangwordsandtermsandphrases，andtheycamebacktohimnow，andhestoodupagainsthermanfully。
Butaswellmightthelambstandupagainsttheeagle，whentheshadowofitswingsfallsacrossthegreenpastures，andthewindfliesbeforeitsdarkoncoming。Attheendoftwominuteshelaygasping，dazed，andspeechless。
Thenshebegan。
Sheannouncedherintentionof\"wipingdownthebloomin’’all\"withhim，andmakingitrespectable；and，metaphoricallyspeaking，thatiswhatshedid。Hertonguehithimbetweentheeyes，andknockedhimdownandtrampledonhim。Itcurledroundandroundhimlikeawhip，andthenituncurledandwoundtheotherway。Itseizedhimbythescruffofhisneck，andtossedhimupintotheair，andcaughthimashedescended，andflunghimtotheground，androlledhimonit。Itplayedaroundhimlikeforkedlightning，andblindedhim。Itdancedandshriekedabouthimlikeahostofwhirlingfiends，andhetriedtorememberaprayer，andcouldnot。Ittouchedhimlightlyonthesoleofhisfootandthecrownofhishead，andhishairstoodupstraight，andhislimbsgrewstiff。Thepeoplesittingnearhimdrewaway，notfeelingitsafetobenear，andlefthimalone，surroundedbyspace，andlanguage。
ItwasthemostartisticpieceofworkofitskindthatIhaveeverheard。Everyphrasesheflungathimseemedtohavebeenwovenonpurposetoentanglehimandtoembraceinitschokingfoldshispeopleandhisgods，tostranglewithitsthreadshiseveryhope，ambition，andbelief。Eachtermsheputuponhimclungtohimlikeagarment，andfittedhimwithoutacrease。Thelastnamethatshecalledhimonefelttobe，untiloneheardthenext，theonenamethatheoughttohavebeenchristenedby。