leman, who had entered the room unperceived
by me, for I was now standing near the fire, with my back to the door.
'Isn't Huntingdon,' he continued, 'as great a reprobate as ever was
d--d?'

'His lady will not hear him censured with impunity,' replied Mr.
Hargrave, coming forward; 'but I must say, I thank God I am not such
another.'

'Perhaps it would become you better,' said I, 'to look at what you are,
and say, "God be merciful to me a sinner."'

'You are severe,' returned he, bowing slightly and drawing himself up
with a proud yet injured air. Hattersley laughed, and clapped him on the
shoulder. Moving from under his hand with a gesture of insulted dignity,
Mr. Hargrave took himself away to the other end of the rug.

'Isn't it a shame, Mrs. Huntingdon?' cried his brother-in-law; 'I struck
Walter Hargrave when I was drunk, the second night after we came, and
he's turned a cold shoulder on me ever since; though I asked his pardon
the very morning after it was done!'

'Your manner of asking it,' returned the other, 'and the clearness with
which you remembered the whole transaction, showed you were not too drunk
to be fully conscious of what you were about, and quite responsible for
the deed.'

'You wanted to interfere between me and my wife,' grumbled Hattersley,
'and that is enough to provoke any man.'

'You justify it, then?' said his opponent, darting upon him a most
vindictive glance.

'No, I tell you I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't been under
excitement; and if you choose to bear malice for it after all the
handsome things I've said, do so and be d--d!'

'I would refrain from such language in a lady's presence, at least,' said
Mr. Hargrave, hiding his anger under a mask of disgust.

'What have I said?' returned Hattersley: 'nothing but heaven's truth. He
will be damned, won't he, Mrs. Huntingdon, if he doesn't forgive his
brother's trespasses?'

'You ought to forgive him, Mr. Hargrave, since he asks you,' said I.

'Do you say so? Then I will!' And, smiling almost frankly, he stepped
forward and offered his hand. It was immediately clasped in that of his
relative, and the reconciliation was apparently cordial on both sides.

'The affront,' continued Hargrave, turning to me, 'owed half its
bitterness to the fact of its being offered in your presence; and since
you bid me forgive it, I will, and forget it too.'

'I guess the best return I can make will be to take myself off,' muttered
Hatte