all in the police for the assault just committed by your
servants, and have them up to Bow Street, but you cannot charge me with
an assault."

"But I will, by G--d, sir, true or not true."

"Indeed you would not, my dear father. A De Benyon would never be guilty
of a lie. Besides, if you were to call in the police;--I wish to argue
this matter coolly, because I ascribe your present little burst of
ill-humour to your sufferings from your unfortunate accident. Allowing
then, my dear father, that you were to charge me with an assault, I
should immediately be under the necessity of charging you also, and then
we must both go to Bow Street together. Were you ever at Bow Street,
general?" The general made no reply, and I proceeded. "Besides, my dear
sir, only imagine how very awkward it would be when the magistrate put
you on your oath, and asked you to make your charge. What would you be
obliged to declare? That you had married when young, and finding that
your wife had no fortune, had deserted her the second day after your
marriage. That you, an officer in the army, and the Honourable Captain
De Benyon, had hung up your child at the gates of the Foundling
Hospital--that you had again met your wife, married to another, and had
been an accomplice in concealing her capital offence of bigamy, and had
had meetings with her, although she belonged to another. I say meetings,
for you did meet her, to receive her directions about me. I am
charitable and suspect nothing--others will not be so. Then, after her
death, you come home, and inquire about your son. His identity is
established,--and what then? not only you do not take him by the hand,
in common civility, I might say, but you first try to turn him out of
the house, and to give him in charge of the police: and then you will
have to state for what. Perhaps you will answer me that question, for
I really do not know."

By this time, my honoured father's wrath had, to a certain degree,
subsided; he heard all I had to say, and he felt how very ridiculous
would have been his intended proceedings, and, as his wrath subsided,
so did his pain increase; he had seriously injured his leg, and it was
swelling rapidly--the bandages tightened in consequence, and he was
suffering under the acutest pain, "Oh, oh!" groaned he.

"My dear father, can I assist you?"

"Ring the bell, sir."

"There is no occasion to summon assistance while I am here, my dear
general. I can attend you professi