than he does; the stake is not equal, and I therefore shall
not meet him. If, on the contrary, he presents a broader target,--if he
is my superior in rank, more patriarchal at home, or has so many
hundreds per annum more, why then the disadvantages will be on his side;
and I trust I am too much of a gentleman, even if he offers to waive all
these considerations, to permit him to fight. It would be _swindling_
the man out of his life.

The best advice I can offer to my friends under these unpleasant
circumstances is, first to try if they cannot persuade their adversaries
to make an apology: and if he will not, why then let them make one
themselves; for although the making an apology creates a very uneasy
sensation, and goes very much _against_ the stomach, yet, depend upon
it, a well-directed bullet creates a much more uneasy feeling, and, what
is worse, goes _directly into it_.

We left Mrs Sullivan sobbing in her anger, when her husband bounded out
of the room in his heroics. At the time that he made the threat she was
in no humour to regard it; but as her anger gradually subsided, so did
her alarm increase. Notwithstanding that she was a coquette, she was as
warmly attached to her husband as he was to her; if she trifled, it was
only for her amusement, and to attract that meed of admiration to which
she had been accustomed previous to her marriage, and which no woman can
renounce on her first entry into that state. Men cannot easily pardon
jealousy in their wives; but women are more lenient towards their
husbands. Love, hand-in-hand with confidence, is the more endearing;
yet, when confidence happens to be out of the way, Love will sometimes
associate with Jealousy; still, as this disagreeable companion proves
that Love is present, and as his presence is what a woman and all a
woman asks, she suffers Jealousy, nay, sometimes even becomes partial to
him for the sake of Love.

Now that Mrs Sullivan had been most unjustly accused, the reader must
know, and moreover, that she had great reason to feel irritated. When
her tears had subsided, for some time she continued in her chair,
awaiting with predetermined dignity the appearance and apology of Mr
Sullivan. After some time had elapsed, she wondered why he did not
come. Dinner was announced, and she certainly expected to meet him
then, and she waited for some minutes to see if he would not take this
opportunity of coming up to her;--but no. She then presumed