at once," said Wharton.

"Upon my word, I shall begin to think that you're tipsy," said Lopez.

"Tipsy!" said the other. "How dare you say such a thing to me? You
never in your life saw me in the least altered by any thing I had
drunk."

Lopez knew that at any rate this was untrue. "I've seen you as drunk
as Cloe before now," said he.

"That's a lie," said Everett Wharton.

"Come, Wharton," said the other, "do not disgrace yourself by conduct
such as that. Something has put you out, and you do not know what you
are saying. I can hardly imagine that you should wish to insult me."

"It was you who insulted me. You said I was drunk. When you said it
you knew it was untrue."

Lopez walked on a little way in silence, thinking over this most
absurd quarrel. Then he turned round and spoke. "This is all the
greatest nonsense I ever heard in the world. I'll go on and go to
bed, and to-morrow morning you'll think better of it. But pray
remember that under no circumstances should you call a man a liar,
unless on cool consideration you are determined to quarrel with him
for lying, and determined also to see the quarrel out."

"I am quite ready to see this quarrel out."

"Good night," said Lopez, starting off at a quick pace. They were
then close to the turn in the park, and Lopez went on till he had
nearly reached the park front of the new offices. As he had walked
he had listened to the footfall of his friend, and after a while
had perceived, or had thought that he had perceived, that the sound
was discontinued. It seemed to him that Wharton had altogether lost
his senses;--the insult to himself had been so determined and so
absolutely groundless! He had striven his best to conquer the man's
ill-humour by good-natured forbearance, and had only suggested that
Wharton was perhaps tipsy in order to give him some excuse. But if
his companion were really drunk, as he now began to think, could it
be right to leave him unprotected in the park? The man's manner had
been strange the whole evening, but there had been no sign of the
effect of wine till after they had left the club. But Lopez had heard
of men who had been apparently sober, becoming drunk as soon as they
got out into the air. It might have been so in this case, though
Wharton's voice and gait had not been those of a drunken man. At any
rate, he would turn back and look after him; and as he did turn back,
he resolved that whatever Wharton might say to him on this nig