When he did awake, about ten o'clock, his first care was to
make enquiries about Mr. John. Then he sent the porter to the police
station to inform the authorities that his son and Mr. Hatszegi, who
were both staying at the Queen of England inn, were going to fight a
duel, which should be prevented at all hazards. A police constable, at
this announcement, flung himself into a hackney-coach and set off at
full speed to make enquiries. Half an hour later a heyduke was sent back
to the porter to tell him that either the whole affair must be a hoax,
as nothing was known of a duel, or else that the two combatants must
already be dead and buried, as not a word could be heard of either of
them. Luckily, towards the afternoon, Mr. John himself arrived in a
somewhat dazed condition, like one who has been up drinking all night.
The members of the family were all sitting together as usual in Mr.
Demetrius's room, listening in silence to his heckling, when the tidings
of Mr. John's arrival reached him. Demetrius immediately summoned him.
He sent back word at first that he was lying down to try to sleep, which
was an absurd excuse for even the richest man to give in the forenoon;
on being summoned a second time he threatened to box the porter's ears;
only the third time, when Clementina was sent with the message that if
he did not come at once, his sick father would come and fetch him, did
he respond to the call and appear before them in a pet.

"Well, thou bloodthirsty man, what has happened? What was the end of
it?"

"What has happened?" repeated John with monstrously dilated eyes. "What
marvel do you expect me to relate?"

"Clementina, Miss Kleary, Henrietta, retire," cried the old man;
"retire, go into the next room. These are not the sort of things that
children should hear."

When they had all withdrawn except Madame Langai, Demetrius again
questioned his son: "Now then, what about this affair, this _rencontre_
with Hatszegi; did you challenge him, did you meet him?"

"Eh? Oh--yes! Naturally. Of course I sought him out, I have only just
come from him. We have been making a night of it together at the Queen
of England. I can honestly say that he is a splendid fellow, a gallant,
charming gentleman. He has really noble qualities. I am going to bring
him here this afternoon. You shall all see him. Even you will like him,
Matilda. But now, adieu, I must really have a little sleep, we were
drinking champagne together all night.