having in fact a clear title to speak authoritatively
upon the matter of the breeches. And when Lord Strepp learned that I
was The O'Ruddy he saw clearly that the Colonel was in the wrong, and
that I had a perfect right to resent the insult to my father's memory.
And so the Colonel probably said: "Look you, Strepp. I have no desire
to kill this young gentleman, because I insulted his father's name. It
is out of all decency. And do you go to him this second time and see
what may be done in the matter of avoidance. But, mark you, if he
expresses any wishes, you of course offer immediate accommodation. I
will not wrong him twice." And so up came my Lord Strepp and hemmed
and hawed in that way which puzzled me. A pair of thoughtful,
honourable fellows, these, and I admired them greatly.

There was now no reason why I should keep my chamber, since if I now
met even the Colonel himself there would be no brawling; only bows. I
was not, indeed, fond of these latter,--replying to Lord Strepp had
almost broken my back; but, any how, more bows were better than more
loud words and another downpour of waiters and pot-boys.

But I had reckoned without the dark-skinned man, Forister. When I
arrived in the lower corridor and was passing through it on my way to
take the air, I found a large group of excited people talking of the
quarrel and the duel that was to be fought at daybreak. I thought it
was a great hubbub over a very small thing, but it seems that the
mainspring of the excitement was the tongue of this black Forister.
"Why, the Irish run naked through their native forests," he was
crying. "Their sole weapon is the great knotted club, with which,
however, they do not hesitate, when in great numbers, to attack lions
and tigers. But how can this barbarian face the sword of an officer of
His Majesty's army?"

Some in the group espied my approach, and there was a nudging of
elbows. There was a general display of agitation, and I marvelled at
the way in which many made it to appear that they had not formed part
of the group at all. Only Forister was cool and insolent. He stared
full at me and grinned, showing very white teeth. "Swords are very
different from clubs, great knotted clubs," he said with admirable
deliberation.

"Even so," rejoined I gravely. "Swords are for gentlemen, while clubs
are to clout the heads of rogues--thus." I boxed his ear with my open
hand, so that he fell against the wall. "I will now picture also th