challenge you to sing. Come, begin. The fellow is mute. Mercury, this
is a liar; he has told us nothing but lies. Let me pull out his tongue.

_Duellist_.--The lie given me! and, alas, I dare not resent it. What an
indelible disgrace to the family of the Pushwells! This indeed is
damnation.

_Mercury_.--Here, Charon, take these two savages to your care. How far
the barbarism of the Mohawk will excuse his horrid acts I leave Minos to
judge. But what can be said for the other, for the Englishman? The
custom of duelling? A bad excuse at the best! but here it cannot avail.
The spirit that urged him to draw his sword against his friend is not
that of honour; it is the spirit of the furies, and to them he must go.

_Savage_.--If he is to be punished for his wickedness, turn him over to
me; I perfectly understand the art of tormenting. Sirrah, I begin my
work with this kick on your breech.

_Duellist_.--Oh my honour, my honour, to what infamy art thou fallen!



DIALOGUE VII.


PLINY THE ELDER--PLINY THE YOUNGER.

_Pliny the Elder_.--The account that you give me, nephew, of your
behaviour amidst the tenors and perils that accompanied the first
eruption of Vesuvius does not please me much. There was more of vanity