Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/309

"I can prove that I went home at twelve."

"That's sobethidg, certaidly; but that's dot edough."

"It's impossible for me to prove that I was in bed at three!"

"Which is awkward: very awkward. Well," he added, after a pause, "what has beed dode?"

"In the first place he has cast Lady Julian off, and in the next he has sent me a challenge."

"Well! That's doidg busidess! Do you bead to go out?"

"I have left the affair entirely in the hands of Mr. Scholefield."

"Very good; and what does he bead to do?"

"I've not seen him since I left him with Sir Charles."

"Do you bead to say that you have beed to speak to Sir Charles?"

"I went in order to convince him that I was not the man; but the moment he saw me, he seized me by the throat and tried to strangle me."

"He did! Well, id that case, Syl, out you bust go! I dod't buch adbire this bode of settlidg batters; but as it is the odly bode prescribed by society, society bust establish adother before it cad expect that which is dow id existedce to be repudiated. But whed are you goidg to see Scholefield agaid?"

"I expected to see him an hour ago! I waited at his house till I was tired of waiting, and then left a note stating that I should be here."

"Well, old boy, you bust keep up your spirits! Let's have a glass of wide od the stredgth of it."

"There he is!" exclaimed Sylvester, on hearing a knock.

"That's the goverdor," said Tom. That's his kdock for a thousadd. Dow the questiod is, will it be wise to explaid all to hib?"

"Why will it not?" demanded Sylvester.

"Why, he has a thorough hatred of the practice of duellidg: he holds it id utter abhorredce; add were it to cobe to his kdowledge that you had beed called out, I do believe that he would idduce you to suffer ady iddigdity rather thad go. The questiod therefore is, shall we tell hib or dot?"

Before Sylvester had time to answer this question, the appearance of the doctor, with Mr. Scholefield, sufficiently proved it to be unnecessary, for he at once took Sylvester by the hand, and enjoined him to be tranquil and firm. "I am," he added, "strongly opposed to this practice; but, under existing circumstances, the challenge must be accepted. We are all friends here; but, of course, not a syllable must be said on the subject to any other party. I shall see you again in a few minutes. Do not leave till I return."

"Well," said Tom, as the doctor left the room with Mr. Scholefield; "if ady bad had sword that the goverdor would, udder ady circubstadces, sadctiod the acceptadce of a challedge, I should have said that that bad had cobbitted perjury. Why, he has heretofore dedoudced the practice of duellidg vehebedtly, as a barbarous, brutal, cowardly, cold-blooded practice. I have heard hib agaid add agaid codtedd that every bad who happeded to kill adother id a duel, whether he idtedded to do so or dot, was a burderer! I'll dever applaud hib for codsistedcy agaid. But I say, old fellow, whed does the thidg cobe off?"