I
recovered, to put myself to rights in your good opinion."

"Och! and you have done that," said the Captain, nodding sagaciously;
"for Captain Jekyl, who is a fine child, has put us all up to your
honourable conduct. They are pretty boys, these guardsmen, though they
may play a little fine sometimes, and think more of themselves than
peradventure they need for to do, in comparison with us of the
line.--But he let us know all about it--and, though he said not a word
of a certain fine lord, with his footpad, and his hurt, and what not,
yet we all knew how to lay that and that together.--And if the law would
not right you, and there were bad words between you, why should not two
gentlemen right themselves? And as to your being kinsmen, why should not
kinsmen behave to each other like men of honour? Only, some say you are
father's sons, and that _is_ something too near.--I had once thoughts of
calling out my uncle Dougal myself, for there is no saying where the
line should be drawn; but I thought, on the whole, there should be no
fighting, as there is no marriage, within the forbidden degrees. As for
first cousins--Wheugh!--that's all fair--fire away, Flanigan!--But here
is my lord, just upon us, like a stag of the first head, and the whole
herd behind him."

Tyrrel stepped forward a little before his officious companions, his
complexion rapidly changing into various shades, like that of one who
forces himself to approach and touch some animal or reptile for which he
entertains that deep disgust and abhorrence which was anciently ascribed
to constitutional antipathy. This appearance of constraint put upon
himself, with the changes which it produced on his face, was calculated
to prejudice him somewhat in the opinion of the spectators, when
compared with the steady, stately, yet, at the same time, easy demeanour
of the Earl of Etherington, who was equal to any man in England in the
difficult art of putting a good countenance on a bad cause. He met
Tyrrel with an air as unembarrassed, as it was cold; and, while he paid
the courtesy of a formal and distant salutation, he said aloud, "I
presume, Mr. Tyrrel de Martigny, that, since you have not thought fit to
avoid this awkward meeting, you are disposed to remember our family
connexion so far as to avoid making sport for the good company?"

"You have nothing to apprehend from my passion, Mr. Bulmer," replied
Tyrrel, "if you can assure yourself against the consequences of you