he had himself expostulated with the Lord Mohun, and
proposed to measure swords with him if need were, and he could not be
got to withdraw peaceably in this dispute. "And I should have beat him,
sir," says Harry, laughing. "He never could parry that botte I brought
from Cambridge. Let us have half an hour of it, and rehearse--I can
teach it your lordship: 'tis the most delicate point in the world, and
if you miss it, your adversary's sword is through you."

"By George, Harry, you ought to be the head of the house," says my lord,
gloomily. "You had been a better Lord Castlewood than a lazy sot like
me," he added, drawing his hand across his eyes, and surveying his
kinsman with very kind and affectionate glances.

"Let us take our coats off and have half an hour's practice before
nightfall," says Harry, after thankfully grasping his patron's manly
hand.

"You are but a little bit of a lad," says my lord, good-humoredly;
"but, in faith, I believe you could do for that fellow. No, my boy," he
continued, "I'll have none of your feints and tricks of stabbing: I can
use my sword pretty well too, and will fight my own quarrel my own way."

"But I shall be by to see fair play?" cries Harry.

"Yes, God bless you--you shall be by."

"When is it, sir?" says Harry, for he saw that the matter had been
arranged privately and beforehand by my lord.

"'Tis arranged thus: I sent off a courier to Jack Westbury to say that I
wanted him specially. He knows for what, and will be here presently, and
drink part of that bottle of sack. Then we shall go to the theatre in
Duke Street, where we shall meet Mohun; and then we shall all go sup at
the 'Rose' or the 'Greyhound.' Then we shall call for cards, and
there will be probably a difference over the cards--and then, God help
us!--either a wicked villain and traitor shall go out of the world, or
a poor worthless devil, that doesn't care to remain in it. I am better
away, Hal--my wife will be all the happier when I am gone," says my
lord, with a groan, that tore the heart of Harry Esmond, so that he
fairly broke into a sob over his patron's kind hand.

"The business was talked over with Mohun before he left home--Castlewood
I mean"--my lord went on. "I took the letter in to him, which I had
read, and I charged him with his villainy, and he could make no denial
of it, only he said that my wife was innocent."

"And so she is; before heaven, my lord, she is!" cries Harry.

"No doubt, no d