y thing from a man here if
he can only dance well. They have no self-respect."

Benson appeared to have very little himself at that moment, and not to
care much what he said or did. He trembled all over with rage, and his
friend expected to see an immediate outbreak; but, as if recollecting
himself, he suddenly stammered out something about the necessity of
changing his boots, and limped off accordingly for that purpose. He was
not gone more than five minutes, but in that time had contrived not only
to supply his pedal deficiency, but also to take a drink by way of
calming himself; and after the drink he took a turn with Miss Friskin,
and whirled her about the room, till he knocked over two or three
innocent bystanders, all of which tended very much to compose his
feelings. Ashburner had a presentiment that something would happen, and
stayed longer that night than his wont; indeed, till the end of the
ball, which, as there was now no German cotillion, lasted till only one
in the morning.

But the universal panacea of the polka had its mollifying effect on
Benson, and every thing might have passed off quietly but for an unlucky
accident. Some of the young Southerners had ordered up sundry bottles of
champagne, and were drinking the same in a corner. Hunter, who was much
given to toadying Southerners (another reason for Benson's dislike of
him), mingled among them, and partook of the inspiring beverage. _In
vino veritas_ is true as gospel, if you understand it rightly as meaning
that wine develops a man's real nature. Hunter, being by nature gossipy
and mendacious, waxed more and more so with every glass of Heidseck he
took down. Ashburner chancing to pass near the group, had his attention
arrested by hearing Benson's name. He stopped, and listened: Hunter was
going on with a prolix and somewhat confused story of some horse that
Benson had sold to somebody, in which transaction Sumner was somehow
mixed up, and the horse hadn't turned out well, and the purchaser wasn't
satisfied, and so on.

"If Benson hear this!" thought Ashburner.

And Benson did hear it very promptly, for Sedley was within ear-shot,
and, delighted at having a piece of mischief to communicate, he tracked
Harry out at the further extremity of the room, to inform him of the
liberties Storey Hunter was taking with his name. Whereupon the
slandered one, with all his wrath reawakened, traversed the apartment in
time to hear the emphatic peroration that, "