wigs on the green, Sir.'

Here several voices interposed.

'Silence, gentlemen, and let me speak, or I'll assault him,' bellowed
O'Flaherty, who, to do him justice, at this moment looked capable of
anything. 'I believe, Sir,' he continued, addressing Nutter, who
confronted him like a little game-cock, 'it is not usual for one
gentleman who renders himself offensive to another to oblige him to
proceed to the length of manually malthrating his person.'

'Hey! eh?' said Nutter, drawing his mouth tight on one side with an ugly
expression, and clenching his hands in his breeches pockets.

'Manually malthrating his person, Sir,' repeated O'Flaherty, 'by
striking, kicking, or whipping any part or mimber of his body; or
offering a milder assault, such as a pull by the chin, or a finger-tap
upon the nose. It is usual, Sir, for the purpose of avoiding
ungentlemanlike noise, inconvenience, and confusion, that one gentleman
should request of another to suppose himself affronted in the manner,
whatever it may be, most intolerable to his feelings, which request I
now, Sir, teeke the libertee of preferring to you; and when you have
engaged the services of a friend, I trust that Lieutenant Puddock, who
lodges in the same house with me, will, in consideration of my being an
officer of the same honourable corps, a sthranger in this part of the
counthry, and, above all, a gentleman who can show paydagree like
himself [here a low bow to Puddock, who returned it]; that Lieutenant
Puddock will be so feelin' and so kind as to receive him on my behalf,
and acting as _my_ friend to manage all the particulars for settling, as
easily as may be, this most unprovoked affair.'

With which words he made another bow, and a pause of enquiry directed to
Puddock, who lisped with dignity--

'Sir, the duty is, for many reasons, painful; but I--I can't refuse,
Sir, and I accept the trust.'

So O'Flaherty shook his hand, with another bow; bowed silently and
loftily round the room, and disappeared, and a general buzz and a clack
of tongues arose.

'Mr. Nutter--a--I hope things may be settled pleasantly,' said Puddock,
looking as tall and weighty as he could; 'at present I--a--that is, at
the moment, I--a--don't quite see--[the fact is, he had not a notion
what the deuce it was all about]--but your friend will find me--your
friend--a--at my lodgings up to one o'clock to-night, if necessary.'

And so Puddock's bow. For the moment an affair of this sor