Part 62 (1/2)

They dined together, sumptuously The wine flowed freely, as indeed it had done all day Sir Mulberry drank to reco lord, to drown his indignation; and the remainder of the party, because the as of the best and they had nothing to pay It was nearlyine, their blood boiling, and their brains on fire, to the ga-table

Here, they encountered another party, laring lights was not calculated to allay the fever of the tiiddy whirl of noise and confusion, the ht of e intoxication of the lass was drained, their parched and scalding mouths were cracked with thirst Down poured the wine like oil on blazing fire And still the riot went on The debauchery gained its height; glasses were dashed upon the floor by hands that could not carry them to lips; oaths were shouted out by lips which could scarcely form the words to vent them in; drunken losers cursed and roared; so bottles above their heads and bidding defiance to the rest; so, soned supreme; when a noise arose that drowned all others, and two led into the middle of the room

A dozen voices, until now unheard, called aloud to part them Those who had kept the in such scenes, threw theed theo!' cried Sir Mulberry, in a thick hoarse voice; 'he struck me! Do you hear? I say, he struck me Have I a friend here? Who is this? Westwood Do you hear me say he struck me?'

'I hear, I hear,' replied one of those who held hiht!'

'I will not, by G-,' he replied 'A dozen men about us saw the blow'

'Tomorroill be ample time,' said the friend

'It will not be aht, at once, here!' His passion was so great, that he could not articulate, but stood clenching his fist, tearing his hair, and staround

'What is this, my lord?' said one of those who surrounded him 'Have blows passed?'

'ONE blow has,' was the panting reply 'I struck him I proclaim it to all here! I struck him, and he knohy I say, with him, let this quarrel be adjusted now Captain Ada hurriedly about hi one of those who had interposed, 'let '

The person addressed stepped forward, and taking the young ether, followed shortly afterwards by Sir Mulberry and his friend

It was a profligate haunt of the worst repute, and not a place in which such an affair was likely to awaken any sympathy for either party, or to call forth any further reress would have been instantly prevented, and time allowed for sober and cool reflection; but not there Disturbed in their orgies, the party broke up; soravity; others withdrew noisily discussing what had just occurred; the gentles reood shot; and those who had been ht no more about it

Meanwhile, the two seconds, as theyconference, each with his principal, ether in another roohly initiated in its worst vices, both deeply in debt, both fallen froher estate, both addicted to every depravity for which society can find so conventionalities as an excuse, they were naturally gentlereat nicety concerning the honour of other people

These two gentlemen were unusually cheerful just now; for the affair was pretty certain to make some noise, and could scarcely fail to enhance their reputations

'This is an aard affair, Ada himself up

'Very,' returned the captain; 'a blow has been struck, and there is but one course, OF course'

'No apology, I suppose?' said Mr Westwood

'Not a syllable, sir, from my man, if we talk till dooinal cause of dispute, I understand, was soirl or other, to whom your principal applied certain terirl, repelled But this led to a long recries, and counter-charges Sir Mulberry was sarcastic; Lord Frederick was excited, and struck hireat aggravation That blow, unless there is a full retraction on the part of Sir Mulberry, Lord Frederick is ready to justify'

'There is no more to be said,' returned the other, 'but to settle the hour and the place ofto have it over Do you object to say at sunrise?'

'Sharp work,' replied the captain, referring to his watch; 'however, as this seeotiation is only a waste of words, no'

'So may possibly be said, out of doors, after what passed in the other room, which renders it desirable that we should be off without delay, and quite clear of town,' said Mr Westwood 'What do you say to one of the meadows opposite Twickenham, by the river-side?'

The captain saw no objection

'Shall we join company in the avenue of trees which leads from Petersham to Ham House, and settle the exact spot e arrive there?' said Mr Westwood

To this the captain also assented After a few other preli settled the road each party should take to avoid suspicion, they separated

'We shall just have comfortable time, my lord,' said the captain, when he had coements, 'to call atcoolly down If you will allow me to disht be recognised'

What a contrast, when they reached the street, to the scene they had just left! It was already daybreak For the flaring yellow light within, was substituted the clear, bright, glorious ; for a hot, close at la with the steams of riot and dissipation, the free, fresh, wholesome air But to the fevered head on which that cool air blew, it seemed to come laden with relected With throbbing veins and burning skin, eyes wild and heavy, thoughts hurried and disordered, he felt as though the light were a reproach, and shrunk involuntarily fro

'shi+vering?' said the captain 'You are cold'

'Rather'

'It does strike cool, co out of those hot rooms Wrap that cloak about you So, so; noe're off'

They rattled through the quiet streets, s, cleared the town, and eed upon the open road, without hindrance orlooked very beautiful; the young h he had passed the same objects a thousand tiely at variance with the bewilderhts, and yet impressive and welcome He had no fear upon his er; and though all old delusions, relative to his worthless late companion, were now cleared away, he rather wished he had never known hiht, the day before, and led theible and senseless whirl; he could not separate the transactions of one time from those of another Now, the noise of the wheels resolved itself into sonise scraps of airs he kne, there was nothing in his ears but a stunning and bewildering sound, like rushi+ng water But his co so silent, and they talked and laughed boisterously When they stopped, he was a little surprised to find hi; but, on reflection, he rear

They stopped at the avenue gate and alighted, leaving the carriage to the care of the servant, as a ss as his master Sir Mulberry and his friend were already there All four walked in profound silence up the aisle of stately elreen perspective of Gothic arches, ter, like some old ruin, in the open sky

After a pause, and a brief conference between the seconds, they, at length, turned to the right, and taking a track across a little meadow, passed Ham House and came into soround was h, the two principals were placed front to front at the distance agreed upon, and Sir Mulberry turned his face towards his young adversary for the first time He was very pale, his eyes were bloodshot, his dress disordered, and his hair dishevelled For the face, it expressed nothing but violent and evil passions He shaded his eyes with his hand; grazed at his opponent, steadfastly, for a fewthe weapon which was tendered to him, bent his eyes upon that, and looked up no iven, when he instantly fired

The two shots were fired, as nearly as possible, at the sa lord turned his head sharply round, fixed upon his adversary a ghastly stare, and without a groan or stagger, fell down dead

'He's gone!' cried Westwood, ith the other second, had run up to the body, and fallen on one knee beside it

'His blood on his own head,' said Sir Mulberry 'He brought this upon himself, and forced it upon me'

'Captain Adams,' cried Westwood, hastily, 'I call you to witness that this was fairly done Hae have not a moment to lose We hton, and cross to France with all speed This has been a bad business, and may be worse, if we delay a moment Ada before the dead; goodbye!'

With these words, he seized Sir Mulberry by the ar to convince himself, beyond all question, of the fatal result-sped off in the same direction, to concerthis own safety likewise

So died Lord Frederick Verisopht, by the hand which he had loaded with gifts, and clasped a thousand times; by the act of hiht have lived a happy man, and died with children's faces round his bed

The sun came proudly up in all hiscourse, the leaves quivered and rustled in the air, the birds poured their cheerful songs from every tree, the short-lived butterfly fluttered its little wings; all the light and life of day carass whose every blade bore twenty tiny lives, lay the dead id face turned upwards to the sky

CHAPTER 51

The Project of Mr Ralph Nickleby and his Friend approaching a successful Issue, becomes unexpectedly known to another Party, not admitted into their Confidence In an old house, dismal dark and dusty, which seerown yellow and shrivelled in hoarding hi his re old chairs and tables, of spare and bony rirown lank and lantern-jawed in guarding the treasures they enclosed, and tottering, as though from constant fear and dread of thieves, shrunk up in dark corners, whence they cast no shadows on the ground, and seeri lean hands and famished face, ticked in cautious whispers; and when it struck the ti sounds, like an old er

No fireside couch was there, to invite repose and comfort Elbow-chairs there were, but they looked uneasy in their minds, cocked their aruard Others, were fantastically gri drawn theht, and put on their fiercest looks to stare all coainst their neighbours, or leant for support against the wall-somewhat ostentatiously, as if to call allThe dark square lu bedsteads sees see thee of the teht-locked closets