nsolence passed me by and walked upstairs. Not a word was spoken on
either side; but there are moments in one's life in which a look or
passing glance rivets an undying hate. Such a one did we exchange and
nothing that the tongue could speak could compass that secret instinct
by which we ratified our enmity.

With slow, uncertain steps I mounted the stairs. Some strange
fascination led me, as it were, to dog his steps; and although in my
heart I prayed that no collision should ever come between us, yet I
could not resist the headlong impulse to follow and to watch him.
Like that unexplained temptation that leads the gazer over some lofty
precipice to move on, step by step, yet nearer to the brink, conscious
of his danger, yet unable to recede; so did I track this man from place
to place, following him as he passed from one group to the other of his
friends, till at length he seated himself at a table, around which a
number of persons were engaged in noisy and boisterous conversation.
He filled a tumbler to the brim with wine, and drinking it off at a
draught, refilled again.

'You are thirsty, Ulick,' said some one.

'Thirsty! On fire, by G----! You'll not believe me when I tell
you--I can't do it; no, by Heaven! there is nothing in the way of
provocation----'

As he said thus much, some lady passing near induced him to drop his
voice, and the remainder of the sentence was inaudible to me. Hitherto
I had been standing beside his chair; I now moved round to the opposite
side of the table, and, with my arms folded and my eyes firmly fixed,
stood straight before him. For an instant or two he did not remark me,
as he continued to speak with his head bent downwards. Suddenly lifting
up his eyes, he started--pushed his chair slightly back from the
table--

'And look! see!' cried he, as with outstretched finger he pointed toward
me--'see! if he isn't there again!'

Then suddenly changing the tone of his voice to one of affected
softness, he continued, addressing me--

'I have been explaining, sir, as well as my poor powers will permit,
the excessive pains I have taken to persuade you to prove yourself a
gentleman. One half the trouble you have put me to would have told an
Irish gentleman what was looked for at his hands; you appear, however,
to be the best-tempered fellows in the world at your side of the
Channel. Come now, boys! if any man likes a bet, I'll wager ten guineas
that even this won't ruffle his amiable na