The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 310: what you’re looking at

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

THE STEAM PACKET. 237 ’ But Mr. Buckram bolted down the stairs like lightning, rushed from the house, and made the best ofhis way back to Quillacq’s Hotel, where he assured Mr. Pifpaf that he had given Mr. Lyttleton Latitat such a drubbing, as completely to put all amorous ideas in future out of his head. The matter was accordingly considered to be settled, and the Lu- minaries were just sitting down to dinner, when the waiter informed “his lordship ” that an English gentleman desired to speak to him in another room. The tailor forthwith repaired to ascertain the nature of the gentleman’s business, and found himself in the presence of a tall, shabby, moustachioed, pale-looking man, with a huge stick in his hand, and an immense white bull-dog at his heels. ‘* Lord nee ow I presume ?” said this human curiosity (the man —not the dog). © ‘ “The same,’ was the answer, delivered with anything but confi- dence. Yam sorry to wait upon your lordship on an unpleasant busi- ness—very sorry,’ said the gentleman: ‘‘ but my friend Mr. Latitat is one of the most honourable men breathing, and certainly the bravest , and he can’t abide a rival. You understand me, my lord— name your friend—refer me to him, and we will endeavour to settle the business with as little delay as possible.” 4 The tailor turned pale and red—and red and pale—and then livid, as these menacing words issued from the lips of the strange gentleman ; but he had self-possession enough to be fully aware that this was a business in which his honour might become seriously involved, and he therefore determined to meet the dilemma with as much resolution as he could call to his aid. “Will you oblige me with your card, sir?’’ he inquired of the lawyer’s second. : ‘“¢ Card—oh! card—ah—card ! a-hem !’”’ stammered the gentleman : “*T can’t say that I have a card exactly, but here is my address ; ”— and as he spoke he tore off the back of a very filthy letter, which he handed to the tailor. “* Very well, Major Debate: ”’ said Mr. Buckram, glancing towards the address; ‘‘ my friend, Captain Pentonville, will call upon you in the evening. Will youallow me to offer you anything ’—a glass of wine ?”’ - Major Pepperton looked very much as if he were ready to say, “I would rather have a bottle; ”’ but etiquette would not permit him to partake of any hospitality at the expense of one whom, for the present; he was bound to consider a foe; and he accordingly declared, with a _ polite bow, that he never took anything before dinner. We may here ~ parenthetically observe, that supposing this were really true, the major Gomichbooks (E(0)