ce of mind than politeness, he flung the remainder of the liquor
(and, indeed, the glass with it) at the head of Mrs. Catherine. But the
poisoned chalice missed its mark, and fell right on the nose of Mr. Tom
Trippet, who was left asleep and unobserved under the table.

Bleeding, staggering, swearing, indeed a ghastly sight, up sprang Mr.
Trippet, and drew his rapier. "Come on," says he; "never say die! What's
the row? I'm ready for a dozen of you." And he made many blind and
furious passes about the room.

"Curse you, we'll die together!" shouted the Count, as he too pulled out
his toledo, and sprang at Mrs. Catherine.

"Help! murder! thieves!" shrieked she. "Save me, Mr. Trippet, save me!"
and she placed that gentleman between herself and the Count, and then
made for the door of the bedroom, and gained it, and bolted it.

"Out of the way, Trippet," roared the Count--"out of the way, you
drunken beast! I'll murder her, I will--I'll have the devil's life." And
here he gave a swinging cut at Mr. Trippet's sword: it sent the weapon
whirling clean out of his hand, and through a window into the street.

"Take my life, then," said Mr. Trippet: "I'm drunk, but I'm a man, and,
damme! will never say die."

"I don't want your life, you stupid fool. Hark you, Trippet, wake and
be sober, if you can. That woman has heard of my marriage with Miss
Dripping."

"Twenty thousand pound," ejaculated Trippet.

"She has been jealous, I tell you, and POISONED us. She has put laudanum
into the punch."

"What, in MY punch?" said Trippet, growing quite sober and losing his
courage. "O Lord! O Lord!"

"Don't stand howling there, but run for a doctor; 'tis our only chance."
And away ran Mr. Trippet, as if the deuce were at his heels.

The Count had forgotten his murderous intentions regarding his mistress,
or had deferred them at least, under the consciousness of his own
pressing danger. And it must be said, in the praise of a man who had
fought for and against Marlborough and Tallard, that his courage in this
trying and novel predicament never for a moment deserted him, but that
he showed the greatest daring, as well as ingenuity, in meeting and
averting the danger. He flew to the sideboard, where were the relics of
a supper, and seizing the mustard and salt pots, and a bottle of oil,
he emptied them all into a jug, into which he further poured a vast
quantity of hot water. This pleasing mixture he then, without a moment's
hesitatio