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but it was a trick he had got, that he could not abide an aſs, and would by no means come near one if he could help it.
And are you ſure it was an aſs Gervais? ſay the other ſervants, ſtaring at one another as if they were frighted: Are you ſure of it? Yes, ſays Gervais, for as ſoon as my maſter got by it, I rode up to it and threſhed it with my ſtick and it fell a braying, which you know, ſays Gervais, is a baſe ugly noiſe, and ſo I came away and left it
Why Gervais, ſay they, your maſter believes it was the Devil, as really as if he had ſpoken to it.
I am ſorry my maſter ſhould be ſo frighted, ſays Gervais; but I am very ſure it was nothing but an aſs. But the ſtory had gotten vent, and the firſt part of it flew all over the town, that Mr. ——— had ſeen the Devil and was almoſt frighted to death.
Then came his man Gervais's tale and made it appear that Mr.———'s ſtrange and wonderful apparition was dwindled into an aſs, and that the Devil he had ſeen, in the ſhape of a bear was no more than a poor Barico; as the Italians call him; this made his maſter be laughed at ſufficiently.
However poor Jarvis or Gervais was fain to turn out, and loſt his place for it; and the wife. Mr. ——— to this day inſiſts upon it, that it was the Devil, and he knew him by his broad eyes; though it is known that a bear has very little eyes: But it is impoſſibie to perſuade any vapouriſh body, that they have not ſeen the Devil, if they have but
