oing through with the business. Indeed, he had a plan
in his head, which, he thought, might prevent my lord viscount from
engaging.

They went in at the bar of the tavern, and desired a private room and wine
and cards, and when the drawer had brought these, they began to drink and
call healths, and as long as the servants were in the room appeared very
friendly.

Harry Esmond's plan was no other than to engage in talk with Lord Mohun,
to insult him, and so get the first of the quarrel. So when cards were
proposed he offered to play. "Psha!" says my Lord Mohun (whether wishing
to save Harry, or not choosing to try the _botte de Jesuite_, it is not to
be known)--"young gentlemen from college should not play these stakes. You
are too young."

"Who dares say I am too young?" broke out Harry. "Is your lordship
afraid?"

"Afraid!" cries out Mohun.

But my good lord viscount saw the move--"I'll play you for ten moidores,
Mohun," says he--"You silly boy, we don't play for groats here as you do at
Cambridge:" and Harry, who had no such sum in his pocket (for his
half-year's salary was always pretty well spent before it was due), fell
back with rage and vexation in his heart that he had not money enough to
stake.

"I'll stake the young gentleman a crown," says the Lord Mohun's captain.

"I thought crowns were rather scarce with the gentlemen of the army," says
Harry.

"Do they birch at college?" says the captain.

"They birch fools," says Harry, "and they cane bullies, and they fling
puppies into the water."

"Faith, then, there's some escapes drowning," says the captain, who was an
Irishman; and all the gentlemen began to laugh, and made poor Harry only
more angry.

My Lord Mohun presently snuffed a candle. It was when the drawers brought
in fresh bottles and glasses and were in the room--on which my lord
viscount said--"The deuce take you, Mohun, how damned awkward you are!
Light the candle, you drawer."

"Damned awkward is a damned awkward expression, my lord," says the other.
"Town gentlemen don't use such words--or ask pardon if they do."

"I'm a country gentleman," says my lord viscount.

"I see it by your manner," says my Lord Mohun. "No man shall say 'damned
awkward' to me."

"I fling the words in your face, my lord," says the other; "shall I send
the cards too?"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen! before the servants?" cry out Colonel Westbury and
my Lord Warwick in a breath. The drawers go out of the room hast