. But--and here I
dwelt on my point: Man, if not a fighting animal in his glorious--I
forgot what--is a sensitive one, and has the idea of honour. "Hear," from
Colonel Segrave, and Sir Weeton Slaterhe was one of the party. In fine,
Richie, I found myself wafted into a breathing oration. I cannot, I
confess it humbly, hear your "hear, hear," without going up and off,
inflated like a balloon. "Shall the arbitration of the magistracy,
indemnifications in money awarded by the Law-courts, succeed in
satisfying,"--but I declare to you, Richie, it was no platform speech. I
know your term--"the chaincable sentence." Nothing of the kind, I assure
you. Plain sense, as from gentlemen to gentlemen. We require, I said, a
protection that the polite world of Great Britain does not now afford us
against the aggressions of the knave, the fool, and the brute. We
establish a Court. We do hereby--no, no, not the "hereby"; quite simply,
Richie--pledge ourselves--I said some other word not "pledge" to use our
utmost authority and influence to exclude from our circles persons
refusing to make the reparation of an apology for wanton common insults:
we renounce intercourse with men declining, when guilty of provoking the
sentiment of hostility, to submit to the jurisdiction of our Court. All I
want you to see is the notion. We raise the shield against the cowardly
bully which the laws have raised against the bloody one. "And
gentlemen,"' my father resumed his oration, forgetting my sober eye for a
minute--'"Gentlemen, we are the ultimate Court of Appeal for men who
cherish their honour, yet abstain from fastening it like a millstone
round the neck of their common-sense." Credit me, Richie, the proposition
kindled. We cited Lord Edbury to appear before us, and I tell you we
extracted an ample apology to you from that young nobleman. And let me
add, one that I, that we, must impose it upon an old son to accept. He
does! Come, come. And you shall see, Richie, society shall never repose
an inert mass under my leadership. I cure it; I shake it and cure it.'

He promenaded the room, repeating: 'I do not say I am possessed of a
panacea,' and bending to my chin as he passed; 'I maintain that I can and
do fulfil the duties of my station, which is my element, attained in the
teeth of considerable difficulties, as no other man could, be he prince
or Prime Minister. Not one,' he flourished, stepping onward. 'And mind
you, Richie, this,' he swung round, cons