The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 4 — page 155: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ae ER sit EG TR EE a A EE ay A ENE A Ae era eT rity cama: Pe, Rae A eR tN, © 14 — np ah ts the Medical Reformer last week, there is no fol- lower of Esculapius living who has the name ex- perience as ‘you in a certain class of hurts and lujuries.” “Why, my dear Dr. Copperas,” said Dr. Thurs- | D ton, “it was the very same opinion that 1 passed upon you, at the very same time tov, in the Scalpel.” And as they thus spoke, the two physicians threw asidelung glance towards tho dusllists and the seconds, to observe whether their dialogue pro- duped auy effect upon those noblemen aud geutle- men. Meantime Captain Tash and the Hin. Mr. Mae- namara were getting on more comfurtub!y together than at first. Each had a pistol-case containing & pair of the murverous weapons—a flask of gun- powder—and several bullets: and they proceeded to load in each other's presence. “These are Sackvile’s pistols,” said Tash; “and a very excellent pair they seem to be. i could wing « fellow at twenty paces with them.” “And these pistols are one,” observed Mac. namora. “Curzon did no$ possess a pair of duel- ling pistola———" “ Neither would Sackville have had these,” re- marked the gallant officer, “unless I had assu: ed him some weeks ago that it was highly necessary for @ fluished geuticman—we put the nobleman out of the question in this sense—to have a pair ot such barkers aa these, Thundenand wounds ! I only wish 1 had the handling of them just now. I could riddle my opponent through aud through ; and I feel just in the humour to do it, too,” added Tash, again looking grimly upon Macua- mare, as if he thought it a very great shame, oinvulting almo-t to ano iusult, that this gentle- man did not at once take the hint and offer to fivht him. “Ttese are not my bullets, though,” said Mac- namara, without beelling the Captain's last ob- servation. “Curzon gave them to me just vow. Did you ever'see bullets so perfeetly round and so smouth? They are the prettiest little things J ever behe!d in ail ry life.” “So they are,” observed Tash; “and it really makes one cnvy the lucky dug that ia to be*rid- dled with such little darlings, But miue, you per- weige, are egually gonud. 1 wonder where the deuce Sackville got these splendid bullets from, Like your's, they are as round as possible, and as smvoth a8 aD eye. Really ibimust be quite deli- cious to reveive one’s kuvck-me-down blow trou puch elegant Jittle bnilets!"—and this time the Captain threw a giauce of iningled entreaty and reproach upon the Hoa. Georga Macuamara, as much as to say that if the idea of being killed with such pretty bullets did not render him disposed to fight, nothing would, ‘Now, are you ready: ” asked the latter, still paying no heed to Captain Tash’s nonsense. Tho ground was measored—Curzon aud Sack- ville were placed at un interval of twelve paves— aud while Captain Tash handed a weapon to his principal, Macnamara performed the same kind aot towards tue other. Dr. Copperas aud Dr. Tharston renamed standing at some distance, paging with profesaiunal sang-froid upun the duellinta, Lhe oigual tur thing was given by the dropping af Captain ‘Tasu’s aaudkerchiel; and : THE MYSTERIES OF THE QCUURT. then, as the pistols exploded, Dr. Copperas sud- denly started convulaively, gecling himself all over to ascertain whethor one of the builets might not Nave diverged and accidentally hit htn—while . ‘Thurston, who was braver than his com- panion, flung a quick glange wards Curzon and Suckville. But he seemed horribly disgusted on observing that neither of them‘ had fallen: fur the truth was, that le rather wagted dt least one uf them, if not both, to be winged or lamed, 50 that additional éclaé might be given to the duel in the newspapers, the cifect of which would be a proportionate puff for linaself and Dr. Copperas. But thanks tu Venetia's forethought, no bluod was destined to be shed-on thé present occasiun. 'The bullets which had been uscd, and which had attracted so much admiration on the part of Mr, Macnamara and Captain Ta-h, were indevd ‘no- thing but thin glass globes filled with quicksilver, aud made by a glass-blower to the order uf Mr, Plumpstead, the Sackvilles’ butler, who had pro cued the same on “the previous evening. But of course Lord Sackville and Lord Curzun looked as yrave and’ solemn as if it were reully a mutter of life and death between them; while Macsumara and Tash naturally supposed that everything was fair and proper, as they had not been les into the secret of the sham bullets. Now, as it- was the Earl of Curson who, being ostensibly the aggrieved party, had chalienged Lurd Sackville, ic was for the former to declare whether he was satisfied by the shots that bad beew exchanged; and to the ineffable dieguat of Cap- tain Ta>h, Mr. Macnameara said on the part of his piincipal, “Lord Curzon has no desire that this shvuld go any farther. Ge now reserves his wrongs for the consideration ¢f thaf ‘tribunal to which as a matter of course he will appeal.” Captain Tash was too conversant with the laws of duelling to persist in compelling the prin- cipals to continue hostilities: but “he did not see the slightest reason why himself and Muc- namara should not have a round or two with each other, just by way of ball-practice.” Such indeed was the proposal that he made with all the cvol- ness in the world, and in those very words. “Siuce the Captain,” said Macnawara, coldly, “isso anxious that I should put a bullet through his Read, I must really gratify him in oider to get rid of his importanity.” “Not so !” &xclaimed Lord Curzon, flinging a glance of profound contempt upou Capt.in ‘Tash: “tor in order that there should be a duel there must. be seconds—ani I fur one shall refuse to act in a case whera no true aud genuiue cause uf dis- pute has arisen.” “ And I also shall refuse to serve a8 @ second,” sail Hurage, “Come, Tash, no one doubts your courage, though every one does your prudence. Pot up the pistols aud Jet us be gone,” “Sy heaven! I wish | had not left Robin at home,” said the Captaia, terribly put out at the idea of having nobody tu fight with, “He should exchange shots with me, I swear! it is nd? once out ofa hundred times that Ll etir out unattended | by ny wan Friday, aud now on the very occasion when he js ee much wanted.'he is not here. But J hav: it!” he guddenly exclaimed, his countenauve briyhtening up; then taking off his big bell- sluped hat, aad advaucing m the politest manner AOC) cS) CO