your best.' He
looked rather sheepish, but held out his gloved hand, which I
shook. 'Now, I have the honor to wish you all a very good
evening;' and so I left the place and got home to my own rooms,
and sat down there with several new ideas in my head. On the
whole, the lesson was not a very bitter one, for I felt that I
had had the best of the game. The only thing I really was sorry
for was my own insolence to the man who had come forward as a
peacemaker. I had remarked his face before. I don't know how it
is with you, but I can never help looking at a tuft--the gold
tassel draws one's eye somehow; and then it's an awful position,
after all, for mere boys to be placed in. So I knew his face
before that day, though I had only seen him two or three times in
the street. Now it was much more clearly impressed on my mind;
and I called it up and looked it over, half hoping that I should
detect something to justify me to myself, but without success.
However, I got the whole affair pretty well out of my head by
bedtime.

"While I was at breakfast the next morning, my scout came in with
a face of the most ludicrous importance, and quite a deferential
manner. I declare I don't think he has ever got back since that
day to his original free-and-easy swagger. He laid a card on my
table, paused a moment, and then said, 'His ludship is houtside
watin', sir.'

"I had had enough of lords' cards; and the scene of yesterday
rose painfully before me as I threw the card into the fire
without looking at it, and said, 'Tell him I am engaged.'

"My scout, with something like a shudder at my audacity, replied,
'His ludship told me to say, sir, as his bis'ness was very
particular, so hif you was engaged he would call again in 'arf an
hour.'

"Tell him to come in, then, if he won't take a civil hint.' I
felt sure who it would be, but hardly knew whether to be pleased
or annoyed, when in another minute the door opened, and in walked
the peacemaker. I don't know which of us was the most
embarrassed; he walked straight up to me without lifting his
eyes, and held out his hand saying, 'I hope, Mr. Hardy, you will
shake hands with me now.'

"'Certainly, my lord,' I said, taking his hand; 'I am sorry for
what I said to you yesterday, when my blood was up.'

"'You said no more than we deserved,' he answered twirling his
cap by the long gold tassel; 'I could not be comfortable without
coming to assure you again myself, that neither I, nor, I