l then, take _that_, to show whether I do or no!" And
suddenly leaning forward, he struck Montagu a violent back-handed blow
on the mouth.

Everybody saw it, everybody heard it; and it instantly astounded them
into silence. That Montagu should have been so struck in public, and
that by Eric--by a boy who had been his schoolfellow for three years
now, and whose whole life seemed bound to him by so many associations;
it was strange and sad indeed.

Montagu sprang straight upright; for an instant he took one stride
towards his striker with lifted hand and lightening eyes, while the
blood started to his lips in consequence of the blow. But he stopped
suddenly, and his hand fell to his side; by a strong effort of
self-control he contrived to master himself; and sitting down quite
quietly on a chair, he put his white handkerchief to his wounded mouth,
and took it away stained with blood.

No one spoke; and rising with quiet dignity, he went back into his study
without a word.

"Very well," said Duncan; "you may all do as you like; only I heartily
hope now you will be caught. Come, Owen."

"O Williams," said Owen, "you are changed indeed, to treat your best
friend so."

But Eric was excited with drink, and the slave of every evil passion at
that moment. "Serve him right," he said; "what business has he to
interfere with what I choose to do?"

There was no more noise that night. Wildney and the rest slunk off
ashamed and frightened, and Eric, leaving his candle flaring on the
table, went down to his bedroom, where he was very sick. He had neither
strength nor spirit to undress, and flung himself into bed just as he
was. When they heard that he was gone, Owen and Duncan (for Montagu was
silent and melancholy) went into his study, put out the candle, and only
just cleared away, to the best of their power, the traces of the
carouse, when Dr Rowlands came up stairs on his usual nightly rounds.
They had been lighting brown paper to take away the fumes of the brandy,
and the Doctor asked them casually the cause of the smell of burning.
Neither of them answered, and seeing Owen there, in whom he placed
implicit trust, the Doctor thought no more about it.

Eric awoke with a bad headache, and a sense of shame and sickness. When
he got up he felt most wretched; and while washing he thought to
himself, "Ah! that I could thus wash away the memory of last night!" Of
course, after what had occurred, Eric and Montagu were