Volume Ii Part 60 (1/2)

”He is, Sir,” said the servant, admitting him rather hesitatingly.

”I wish to see him a few moments on business.”

”It is no hour for business,” said the voice of Mr. Lewis from over the bal.u.s.ters ? ”I can't see anybody to-night.”

”I ask but a few minutes,” said Mr. Carleton. ”It is important.”

”It may be anything!” said Thorn. ”I wont do business after twelve o'clock.”

Mr. Carleton desired the servant to carry his card, with the same request, to Mr. Thorn the elder.

”What's that?” said Thorn, as the man came up stairs ? ”my father? ? Pshaw! _he_ can't attend to it. Well, walk up, Sir, if you please! ? may as well have it over and done with it.”

Mr. Carleton mounted the stairs and followed the young gentleman into an apartment, to which he rapidly led the way.

”You've no objection to this, I suppose?” Thorn remarked, as he locked the door behind them.

”Certainly not,” said Mr. Carleton, coolly, taking out the key and putting it in his pocket ? ”my business is private ? it needs no witnesses.”

”Especially as it so nearly concerns yourself,” said Thorn, sneeringly.

”Which part of it, Sir?” said Mr. Carleton, with admirable breeding. It vexed, at the same time that it constrained Thorn.

”I'll let you know, presently!” he said, hurriedly proceeding to the lower end of the room, where some cabinets stood, and unlocking door after door in mad haste.

The place had somewhat the air of a study ? perhaps Thorn's private room. A long table stood in the middle of the floor, with materials for writing, and a good many books were about the room, in cases and on the tables, with maps, and engravings, and portfolio's, and a nameless collection of articles ? the miscellaneous gathering of a man of leisure and some literary taste.

Their owner presently came back from the cabinets with tokens of a very different kind about him.

”There, Sir!” he said, offering to his guest a brace of most inhospitable-looking pistols ? ”take one, and take your stand, as soon as you please ? nothing like coming to the point at once!”

He was heated and excited even more than his manner indicated.

Mr. Carleton glanced at him, and stood quietly examining the pistol he had taken. It was already loaded.

”This is a business that comes upon me by surprise,” he said, calmly. ”I don't know what I have to do with this, Mr. Thorn.”

”Well, I do,” said Thorn, ”and that's enough. Take your place, Sir! You escaped me once, but ” ? and he gave his words dreadful emphasis ? ”you wont do it the second time!”

”You do not mean,” said the other, ”that your recollection of such an offence has lived out so many years?”

”No, Sir! No Sir!” said Thorn ? ”it is not that. I despise it, as I do the offender. You have touched me more nearly.”

”Let me know ill what,” said Mr. Carleton, turning his pistol's mouth down upon the table, and leaning on it.

”You know already ? what do you ask me for?” said Thorn, who was foaming; ”if you say you don't, you lie heartily. I'll tell you nothing but out of _this_.”

”I have not knowingly injured you, Sir ? in a whit.”

”Then a Carleton may be a liar,” said Thorn, ”and you are one ? I dare say not the first. Put yourself there, Sir, will you?”

”Well,” said Guy, carelessly, ”if it is decreed that I am to fight, of course there's no help for it; but as I have business on hand that might not be so well done afterwards, I must beg your attention to that in the first place.”