The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

THE SHAM DUEL 169 perfectly round and so smooth? They are the prettiest ~ little things I ever beheld in all my life.” “So they are,” observed Tash, ‘‘ and it really makes one envy the lucky dog that is to be riddled with such little darlings. But mine, you perceive, are equally good. I wonder where the deuce Sackville got these splendid bullets from. Like yours, they are as round as possible, and as smooth as an egg. Really it must be quite laioionis to re- ceive one’s knock-me-down blow from such elegant little bullets,” and this time the captain threw a glance of mingled entreaty and reproach upon the Honourable George Mac- namara, 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 senate no heed to Captaixi Tash’s nonsense. The ground was measured, Curzon and Sackville were placed at an interval of Smiclye ‘paces, and while Captain Tash handed a weapon to his principal, Macnamara per- formed the same kind act toward the other. Doctor Cop- peras and Doctor Thurston remained standing at some distance, gazing with professional sang-froid upon the duellists. The signal for firing was given by the dropping of Captain Tash’s handkerchief, and then, as the pistols exploded, Doctor Copperas suddenly started convulsively, feeling himself all over to ascertain whether one of the bullets might not have diverged and accidentally hit him, while Doctor Thurston, who was braver than his companion, flung a quick glance toward Curzon and Sackville. But he seemed horribly disgusted on observing that neither of them had fallen; for the truth was, that he rather wanted at least one of them, if not both, to be winged or lamed, so that additional éclat might be given to the duel in the news- papers, the effect of which would be a proportionate puff for himself and Doctor Copperas. But, thanks to Venetia’s forethought, no blood was destined to be shed on the present occasion. The bullets which had been used, and which had attracted so much admiration on the part of Mr. Macnamara and Captain Tash, were indeed nothing but thin glass globes filled with quick- silver, and made by a glass-blower to the order of Mr. - Plumpstead, the Sackvilles’ butler, who had procured the CORNICLOOL <S) (C(O) im