
Phutatorius was not able to dive into the secret of what was going forwards
below, nor could he make any kind of conjecture, what the devil was the matter
with it: However, as he knew not what the true cause might turn out, he deemed
it most prudent, in the situation he was in at present, to bear it, if possible,
like a stoick; which, with the help of some wry faces and compursions of the
mouth, he had certainly accomplished, had his imagination continued neuter - but
the sallies of the imagination are ungovernable in things of this kind - a
thought instantly darted into his mind, that tho' the anguish had the sensation
of glowing heat - it might, notwithstanding that, be a bite as well as a burn;
and if so, that possibly a Newt or an Asker, or some such detested reptile, had
crept up, and was fastening his teeth - the horrid idea of which, with a fresh
glow of pain arising that instant from the chesnut, seized Phutatorius with a
sudden panick, and in the first terrifying disorder of the passion it threw him,
as it has done the best generals upon earth, quite off his guard; - the effect
of which was this, that he leapt incontinently up, uttering as he rose that
interjection of surprise so much discanted upon, with the aposiopestick break
after it, marked thus, Z--ds - which, though not strictly canonical, was still
as little as any man could have said upon the occasion; -- and which, by the
bye, whether canonical or not, Phutatorius could no more help than he could the
cause of it.
    Though this has taken up some time in the narrative, it took up little more
time in the transaction, than just to allow time for Phutatorius to draw forth
the chesnut, and throw it down with violence upon the floor - and for Yorick, to
rise from his chair, and pick the chesnut up.
    It is curious to observe the triumph of slight incidents over the mind: -
What incredible weight they have in forming and governing our opinions, both of
men and things, - that trifles light as air, shall waft a belief into the soul,
and plant it so immoveably within it, - that Euclid's demonstrations, could they
be brought to batter it in breach, should not all have power to overthrow it.
    Yorick, I said, picked up the chesnut which Phutatorius's wrath had flung
down - the action was trifling - I am ashamed to account for it - he did it, for
no
