About two in the
morning
I did not go into the room with her ; but when she returned , she startled us all a good deal , by stating her opinion that the worthy man was really very ill , in which she was corroborated by the doctor , who now arrived . So soon as the medico saw him , he bled him , and after prescribing a lot of effervescing draughts , and various febrifuge mixtures , he left a large blister with the old brown landlady , to be applied over his stomach if the wavering and flightiness did not leave him before morning . We returned early after dinner from Mr N -- ` s to our lodgings , and as I knew Gelid was expected at his brother 's in the evening , to meet a large assemblage of kindred , and as the night was rainy and tempestuous , I persuaded him to trust the watch to me ; and as our brown landlady had been up nearly the whole of the previous night , I sent for Tailtackle to spell me , while the black valets acted with great assiduity in their capacity of surgeon 's mates . About two in the morning Mr Wagtail became delirious , and it was all that I could do , aided by my sable assistants , and an old black nurse , to hold him down in his bed . Now was the time to clap on the blister , but he repeatedly tore it off , so that at length we had to give it up for an impracticable job ; and Tailtackle , whom I had called from his pallet , where he had gone to lie down for an hour , placed the caustico , as the Spaniards call it , at the side of the bed . `` No use in trying this any more at present , '' said I ; `` we must wait until he gets quieter , Mr Tailtackle ; so go to your bed , and I shall lie down on this sofa here , where Marie Paparoche '' -LRB- this was our old landlady -RRB- `` has spread sheets , I see , and made all comfortable . And send Mr Bang 's servant , will you ; '' -LRB- friend Aaron had ridden into the country after dinner to visit a friend , and the storm , as I conjectured , had kept him there ;-RRB- `` he is fresh , and will call me in case I be wanted , or Mr Wagtail gets worse . ''