ess, which I
dare say you can have no pleasure in calling to mind; and, to say
truth, I would as readily forget it myself. Suppose we try. Take back
your pistol, which smells very ill; put it in your pocket or wherever
you had it concealed. There! Now let us meet for the first time.--Give
you good morning, Mr. Fenn! I hope you do very well. I come on the
recommendation of my kinsman, the Vicomte de Saint-Yves."

"Do you mean it?" he cried. "Do you mean you will pass over our little
scrimmage?"

"Why, certainly!" said I. "It shows you are a bold fellow, who may be
trusted to forget the business when it comes to the point. There is
nothing against you in the little scrimmage, unless that your courage is
greater than your strength. You are not so young as you once were, that
is all."

"And I beg of you, sir, don't betray me to the Viscount," he pleaded.
"I'll not deny but what my 'eart failed me a trifle; but it was only a
word, sir, what anybody might have said in the 'eat of the moment, and
over with it."

"Certainly," said I. "That is quite my own opinion."

"The way I came to be anxious about the Viscount," he continued, "is
that I believe he might be induced to form an 'asty judgment. And the
business, in a pecuniary point of view, is all that I could ask; only
trying, sir--very trying. It's making an old man of me before my time.
You might have observed yourself, sir, that I 'aven't got the knees I
once 'ad. The knees and the breathing, there's where it takes me. But
I'm very sure, sir, I address a gentleman as would be the last to make
trouble between friends."

"I am sure you do me no more than justice," said I; "and I shall think
it quite unnecessary to dwell on any of these passing circumstances in
my report to the Vicomte."

"Which you do favour him (if you'll excuse me being so bold as to
mention it) exac'ly!" said he. "I should have known you anywheres. May I
offer you a pot of 'ome-brewed ale, sir? By your leave? This way, if you
please. I am 'eartily grateful--'eartily pleased to be of any service
to a gentleman like you, sir, which is related to the Vis-count, and
really a fambly of which you might well be proud! Take care of the step,
sir. You have good news of 'is 'ealth, I trust? as well as that of
Monseer the Count?"

God forgive me! the horrible fellow was still puffing and panting with
the fury of his assault, and already he had fallen into an obsequious,
wheedling familiarity like that of