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curiosity。 Have you any idea what we are agreeing to differ about？〃
_Gatty。_ 〃The question does you little credit； my lord； that is to add
insult to wrong。〃
He went off hurriedly； leaving Lord Ipsden mystified。
He thought Christie Johnstone was somehow connected with it； but；
conscious of no wrong； he felt little disposed to put up with any insult；
especially from this boy； to whom he had been kind； he thought。
His lordship was； besides； one of those good； simple…minded creatures；
educated abroad； who； when invited to fight； simply bow； and load two
pistols； and get themselves called at six； instead of taking down tomes
of casuistry and puzzling their poor brains to find out whether they are
gamecocks or capons； and why。
As for Gatty； he hurried home in a fever of passion； begged his mother's
pardon； and reproached himself for ever having disobeyed her on account
of such a perfidious creature as Christie Johnstone。
He then told her what he had seen； as distance and imagination had
presented it to him； to his surprise the old lady cut him short。
〃Charles；〃 said she； 〃there is no need to take the girl's character away；
she has but one faultshe is not in the same class of life as you； and
such marriages always lead to misery； but in other respects she is a
worthy young womandon't speak against her character； or you will make
my flesh creep； you don't know what her character is to a woman； high or
low。〃
By this moderation； perhaps she held him still faster。
Friday morning arrived。 Gatty had； by hard work； finished his picture；
collected his sketches from nature； which were numerous； left by
memorandum everything to his mother； and was； or rather felt； as ready to
die as live。
He had hardly spoken a word or eaten a meal these four days； his mother
was in anxiety about him。 He rose early； and went down to Leith； an hour
later； his mother； finding him gone out； rose and went to seek him at
Newhaven。
Meantime Flucker had entirely recovered； but his sister's color had left
her cheeks。 The boy swore vengeance against the cause of her distress。
On Friday morning； then； there paced on Leith Sands two figures。
One was Lord Ipsden。
The other seemed a military gentleman； who having swallowed the mess…room
poker； and found it insufficient； had added the ramrods of his company。
The more his lordship reflected on Gatty； the less inclined he had felt
to invite a satirical young dog from barracks to criticise such a
_rencontre；_ he had therefore ordered Saunders to get up as a
field…marshal； or some such trifle； and what Saunders would have called
incomparable verticality was the result。
The painter was also in sight。
While he was coming up； Lord Ipsden was lecturing Marshal Saunders on a
point on which that worthy had always thought himself very superior to
his master〃Gentlemanly deportment。〃
〃Now； Saunders； mind and behave like a gentleman； or we shall be found
out。〃
〃I trust； my lord； my conduct〃
〃What I mean is； you must not be so overpoweringly gentleman…like as you
are apt to be； no gentleman is so gentleman as all that； it could not be
borne； _c'est suffoquant；_ and a white handkerchief is unsoldier…like；
and nobody ties a white handkerchief so well as that； of all the vices；
perfection is the most intolerable。〃 His lordship then touched with his
cane the generalissimo's tie； whose countenance straightway fell； as
though he had lost three successive battles。
Gatty came up。
They saluted。
〃Where is your second； sir？〃 said the mare'chal。
〃My second？〃 said Gatty。 〃Ah！ I forgot to wake himdoes it matter？〃
〃It is merely a custom；〃 said Lord Ipsden； with a very slightly satirical
manner。 〃Savanadero；〃 said he； 〃do us the honor to measure the ground；
and be everybody's second。〃
Savanadero measured the ground； and handed a pistol to each combatant；
and struck an imposing attitude apart。
〃Are you ready； gentlemen？〃 said this Jack…o'…both…sides。
〃Yes！〃 said both。
Just as the signal was about to be given； an interruption occurred。 〃I
beg your pardon； sir；〃 said Lord Ipsden to his antagonist； 〃I am going to
take a _libertya great liberty_ with you； but I think you will find
your pistol is only at half cock。〃
〃Thank you； my lord； what am I to do with the thing？〃
〃Draw back the cock so； and be ready to fire？〃
〃So？〃 _Bang！_
He had touched the trigger as well as the cock； so off went the barker；
and after a considerable pause the field…marshal sprang yelling into the
air。
〃Hallo！〃 cried Mr。 Gatty。
〃Ah！ oh！ I'm a dead man；〃 whined the general。
〃Nonsense！〃 said Ipsden； after a moment of anxiety。 〃Give yourself no
concern； sir；〃 said he； soothingly； to his antagonist〃a mere accident。
Mare'chal； reload Mr。 Gatty's pistol。〃
〃Excuse me； my lord〃
〃Load his pistol directly；〃 said his lordship； sternly； 〃and behave like
a gentleman。〃
〃My lord！ my lord！ but where shall I stand to be safe？〃
〃Behind me！〃
The commander of division advanced reluctantly for Gatty's pistol。
〃No； my lord！〃 said Gatty； 〃it is plain I am not a fit antagonist； I
shall but expose myselfand my mother has separated us； I have lost
herif you do not win her some worse man may； but； oh！ if you are a man；
use her tenderly。〃
〃Whom？〃
〃Christie Johnstone！ Oh； sir； do not make her regret me too much！ She was
my treasure； my consolationshe was to be my wife； she would have
cheered the road of lifeit is a desert now。 I loved herII〃
Here the poor fellow choked。
Lord Ipsden turned round； and threw his pistol to Saunders； saying；
〃Catch that； Saunders。〃
Saunders； on the contrary； by a single motion changed his person from a
vertical straight line to a horizontal line exactly parallel with the
earth's surface； and the weapon sang innoxious over him。
His lordship then； with a noble defiance of etiquette； walked up to his
antagonist and gave him his hand； with a motion no one could resist； for
he felt for the poor fellow。
〃It is all a mistake；〃 said he。 〃There is no sentiment between La
Johnstone and me but mutual esteem。 I will explain the whole thing。 _I_
admire _her_ for her virtue； her wit； her innocence； her goodness and all
that sort of thing； and _she；_ what _she_ sees in _me；_ I am sure I don't
know；〃 added he； slightly shrugging his aristocratic shoulders。 〃Do me
the honor to breakfast with me at Newhaven。〃
〃I have ordered twelve sorts of fish at the 'Peacock；' my lord；〃 said
Saunders。
〃Divine！ （I hate fish） I told Saunders all would be hungry and none shot；
by the by； you are winged； I think you said； Saunders？〃
〃No； my lord！ but look at my trousers。〃
The bullet had cut his pantaloons。
〃I seeonly barked； so go and see about our breakfast。〃
〃Yes； my lord〃 _（faintly）。_
〃And draw on me for fifty pounds' worth ofnew trousers。〃
Yes； my lord〃 _（sonorously）。_
The duelists separated； Gatty taking the short cut to Newhaven； he
proposed to take his favorite swim there； to refresh himself before
breakfast； and he went from his lordship a little cheered by remarks
which fell from him； and which； though vague； sounded friendlypoor
fellow； except when he had a brush in hand he was