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o wipe your boots in a liberal way on everybody in the room；〃 said this young man； in the same tone of impersonal question。 〃This gentleman； the champion lightweight〃
〃Own up； Charlie；〃 said the young man with the gaiters； looking up for a moment。 〃And don't go a…dragging in your betters。 It's fair and square。 You can't get out of it。〃
〃Was it thisgent？〃 began Mr。 Hoopdriver。
〃Of course；〃 said the young man in the white tie； 〃when it comes to talking of wiping boots〃
〃I'm not talking； I'm going to do it；〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver。
He looked round at the meeting。 They were no longer antagonists； they were spectators。 He would have to go through with it now。 But this tone of personal aggression on the maker of the remark had somehow got rid of the oppressive feeling of Hoopdriver contra mundum。 Apparently； he would have to fight someone。 Would he get a black eye？ Would he get very much hurt？ Pray goodness it wasn't that sturdy chap in the gaiters！ Should he rise and begin？ What would she think if he brought a black eye to breakfast to…morrow？〃Is this the man？〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver； with a business…like calm； and arms more angular than ever。
〃Eat 'im！〃 said the little man with the beard； 〃eat 'im straight orf。〃
〃Steady on！〃 said the young man in the white tie。 〃Steady on a minute。 If I did happen to say〃
〃You did； did you？〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver。
Backing out of it； Charlie？〃 said the young man with the gaiters。
〃Not a bit；〃 said Charlie。 〃Surely we can pass a bit of a joke〃
〃I'm going to teach you to keep your jokes to yourself；〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver。
〃Bray…vo！〃 said the shepherd of the flock of chins。
〃Charlie IS a bit too free with his jokes；〃 said the little man with the beard。
〃It's downright disgusting；〃 said Hoopdriver； falling back upon his speech。 〃A lady can't ride a bicycle in a country road； or wear a dress a little out of the ordinary； but every dirty little greaser must needs go shouting insults〃
〃_I_ didn't know the young lady would hear what I said；〃 said Charlie。 〃 Surely one can speak friendly to one's friends。 How was I to know the door was open〃
Hoopdriver began to suspect that his antagonist was； if possible； more seriously alarmed at the prospect of violence than himself； and his spirits rose again。 These chaps ought to have a thorough lesson。 〃Of COURSE you knew the door was open；〃 he retorted indignantly。 〃Of COURSE you thought we should hear what you said。 Don't go telling lies about it。 It's no good your saying things like that。 You've had your fun； and you meant to have your fun。 And I mean to make an example of you； Sir。〃
〃Ginger beer；〃 said the little man with the beard； in a confidential tone to the velveteen jacket； 〃is regular up this 'ot weather。 Bustin' its bottles it is everywhere。〃
〃What's the good of scrapping about in a publichouse？〃 said Charlie； appealing to the company。 〃A fair fight without interruptions； now； I WOULDN'T mind； if the gentleman's so disposed。〃
Evidently the man was horribly afraid。 Mr。 Hoopdriver grew truculent。
〃Where you like；〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver。 〃jest wherever you like。〃
〃You insulted the gent；〃 said the man in velveteen。
〃Don't be a bloomin' funk； Charlie；〃 said the man in gaiters。 〃Why； you got a stone of him； if you got an ounce。〃
〃What I say； is this；〃 said the gentleman with the excessive chins； trying to get a hearing by banging his chair arms。 〃If Charlie goes saying things； he ought to back 'em up。 That's what I say。 I don't mind his sayin' such things 't all； but he ought to be prepared to back 'em up。〃
〃I'll BACK 'em up all right；〃 said Charlie； with extremely bitter emphasis on 'back。' 〃If the gentleman likes to come Toosday week〃
〃Rot！〃 chopped in Hoopdriver。 〃Now。〃
〃'Ear； 'ear；〃 said the owner of the chins。
〃Never put off till to…morrow； Charlie； what you can do to…day；〃 said the man in the velveteen coat。
〃You got to do it； Charlie；〃 said the man in gaiters。 〃It's no good。〃
〃It's like this；〃 said Charlie； appealing to everyone except Hoopdriver。 〃Here's me； got to take in her ladyship's dinner to…morrow night。 How should I look with a black eye？ And going round with the carriage with a split lip？〃
〃If you don't want your face sp'iled； Charlie； why don't you keep your mouth shut？〃 said the person in gaiters。
〃Exactly；〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver； driving it home with great fierceness。 〃Why don't you shut your ugly mouth？〃
〃It's as much as my situation's worth；〃 protested Charlie。
〃You should have thought of that before；〃 said Hoopdriver。
〃There's no occasion to be so thunderin' 'ot about it。 I only meant the thing joking；〃 said Charlie。 〃AS one gentleman to another； I'm very sorry if the gentleman's annoyed〃
Everybody began to speak at once。 Mr。 Hoopdriver twirled his moustache。 He felt that Charlie's recognition of his gentlemanliness was at any rate a redeeming feature。 But it became his pose to ride hard and heavy over the routed fo c。 He shouted some insulting phrase over the tumult。
〃You're regular abject；〃 the man in gaiters was saying to Charlie。
More confusion。
〃Only don't think I'm afraid；not of a spindle…legged cuss like him shouted Charlie。 〃Because I ain't。〃
〃Change of front；〃 thought Hoopdriver； a little startled。 〃Where are we going？〃
〃Don't sit there and be abusive；〃 said the man in velveteen。 〃He's offered to hit you； and if I was him； I'd hit you now。〃
〃All right； then；〃 said Charlie； with a sudden change of front and springing to his feet。 〃If I must； I must。 Now； then！〃 At that； Hoopdriver； the child of Fate； rose too； with a horrible sense that his internal monitor was right。 Things had taken a turn。 He had made a mess of it； and now there was nothing for it； so far as he could see； but to hit the man at once。 He and Charlie stood six feet apart； with a table between； both very breathless and fierce。 A vulgar fight in a public…house； and with what was only too palpably a footman！ Good Heavens！ And this was the dignified； scornful remonstrance！ How the juice had it all happened？ Go round the table at him； I suppose。 But before the brawl could achieve itself； the man in gaiters intervened。 〃Not here；〃 he said； stepping between the antagonists。 Everyone was standing up。
〃Charlie's artful；〃 said the little man with the beard。
〃Buller's yard；〃 said the man with the gaiters； taking the control of the entire affair with the easy readiness of an accomplished practitioner。 〃If the gentleman DON'T mind。〃 Buller's yard； it seemed； was the very place。 〃We'll do the thing regular and decent； if you please。〃 And before he completely realized what was happening； Hoopdriver was being marched out through the back premises of the inn； to the first and only fight with fists that was ever to glorify his life。
Outwardly； so far as the intermittent moonlight showed； Mr。 Hoopdriver was quietly but eagerly prepared to fight。 But inwardly he was a chaos of conflicting purposes。 It was extraordinary how things happened。 One remark had trod so closely on the heels of another； that he had had the greatest difficulty in following the development of the business。 He distinctly remembered himself walking across from one room to the other；a dignified； eve