d me to the
noble Viscount's rooms; they were most splendid, certainly--first
floor rooms in Peckwater. I was shown into the large loom, which
was magnificently furnished and lighted. A good space was cleared
in the centre; there were all sorts of bottles and glasses on the
sideboard. There might have been twelve or thirteen men present,
almost all in tufts or gentlemen commoners' caps. One or two of
our college I recognized. The fighting man was also there,
stripped for sparring, which none of the rest were. It was plain
that the sport had not begun; I think he was doing some trick of
strength as I came in. My noble host came forward with a nod and
asked me if I would take anything, and when I declined, said,
'Then will you put on the gloves?' I looked at him rather
surprised, and thought it an odd way to treat the only stranger
in his rooms. However, I stripped, put on the gloves, and one of
the others came forward to tie them for me. While he was doing it
I heard my host say to the man, 'A five-pound note, mind, if you
do it within the quarter-of-an-hour.' 'Only half-minute time,
then, my lord,' he answered. The man who was tying my gloves
said, 'Be steady; don't give him a chance to knock you down.' It
flashed across me in a moment now why I was there; but it was too
late to draw back; so we stood up and began sparring. I played
very steadily and light at first to see whether my suspicions
were well founded, and in two minutes I was satisfied. My
opponent tried every dodge to bring on a rally, and when he was
foiled I could see that he was shifting his glove. I stopped and
insisted that his gloves should be tied, and then we went on
again.

"I kept on the defensive. The man was in bad training, and
luckily I had the advantage by an inch or so in length of arm.
Before five minutes was over, I had caught enough of the
bystander's remarks to know that my noble host had betted a pony
that I should be knocked down in a quarter-of-an-hour. My one
object now was to make him lose his money. My opponent did his
utmost for his patron, and fairly winded himself in his efforts
to get at me. He had to call time twice himself. I said not a
word; my time would come I knew, if I could keep on my legs, and
of this I had little fear. I held myself together, made no
attack, and my length of arm gave me the advantage in every
counter. It was all I could do, though, to keep clear of his
rushes as the time drew on. On he came time af