to that trigger?"

"Certain," said Mr. Percy, with his mouth full, "certain. Bless me,
here's the carriage, and breakfast not half done yet."

"Come, come," cried Borodaile, impatiently, "we must breakfast
afterwards. Here, Roberts, see that we have fresh chocolate and some
more cutlets when we return."

"I would rather have them now," said Mr. Bobus, foreseeing the
possibility of the return being single: "Ibis! redibis?" etc.

"Come, we have not a moment to lose," exclaimed Borodaile, hastening
down the stairs; and Mr. Percy Bobus followed, with a strange mixture
of various regrets, partly for the breakfast that was lost and partly
for the friend that might be.

When they arrived at the ground, Clarence and the duke were already
there: the latter, who was a dead shot, had fully persuaded himself
that Clarence was equally adroit, and had, in his providence for
Borodaile, brought a surgeon. This was a circumstance of which the
viscount, in the plenitude of his confidence for himself and
indifference for his opponent, had never once dreamed.

The ground was measured; the parties were about to take the ground.
All Linden's former agitation had vanished; his mien was firm, grave,
and determined: but he showed none of the careless and fierce
hardihood which characterized his adversary; on the contrary, a close
observer might have remarked something sad and dejected amidst all the
tranquillity and steadiness of his brow and air.