of retributive justice. (In the sequel you will find that this Queen of
Hearts descended upon the ignoble due at the proper time like a thousand
of brick and took the last trick of justice.)

* * * * *

The extraordinary description of Bussy's fight is beyond everything. You
gallop along as if in a whirlwind, and it is only in cooler moments that
you discover he killed about twelve rascals with his own good arm. It
seems impossible; the scientific, careful readers have been known to
declare it impossible and sneer at it with laughter. I trust every
novel reader respects scientific folks as he should; but science is not
everything. Our scientific friends have contended that the whale did not
engulf Jonah; that the sun did not pause over the vale of Askelon; that
Baron Munchausen's horse did not hang to the steeple by his bridle;
that the beanstalk could not have supported a stout lad like Jack; that
General Monk was not sent to Holland in a cage; that Remus and Romulus
had not a devoted lady wolf for a step-mother; in fact, that loads of
things, of which the most undeniable proof exists in plain print all
over the world, never were done or never happened. Bessy was killed,
Rely was killed later, Diana died in performing her destiny, St. Luc was
killed. Nobody left to make affidavits, except M. Dumas; in his lifetime
nobody questioned it; he is now dead and unable to depose; whereupon the
scientists sniff scornfully and deny. I hope I shall always continue to
respect science in its true offices, but, brethren, are there not times
when--science--makes--you--just--a--little--tired?

Heroes! D'Artagnan or Bessy? Choose, good friends, freely; as freely let
me have my Bessy.