BE AUCH AMP'S EXPLANATION OF THE FRACAS. 37 



ladies," added Constance ; " so now, to make your peace with 

 Aunt Gordon, just have the goodness to occupy my seat till I 

 return, and make a full confession of your wicked conduct, 

 whilst I hear Mr. Conyers' version of the story ; we shall then 

 know who speaks most truth ; so sit down between those two 

 ladies, who, I hope, will both in turn give you a thorough good 

 lecture." 



Beauchamp required no second invitation, and turning first 

 to Miss Douglas, who was on his right side, said in a low tone, 

 scarcely above a whisper, "Dear Blanche, you look pale and 

 agitated ; what has distressed you % " 



" Oh, nothing now ! " she replied. " I felt faint a little 

 while ago, but dear aunty's vinaigrette " — again applying it to 

 her nostrils — "has nearly revived me." 



" Now, William," interposed Mrs. Gordon, " I am all im- 

 patience ; pray begin, and tell me the whole truth." 



"And so I will, dear madam," replied Beauchamp ; " every 

 word of it." 



" Don't dear madam me, sir ; your sister, Constance, like a 

 good, dear, obedient child, does as she is bid, and calls me Aunt 

 Gordon; and I desire you will do the same, unless you wish me 

 to call you Mr. Beauchamp." 



" Then, dear Aunt Gordon, I will give you chapter and 

 verse of the whole conversation in the dining-room, after the 

 ladies left, without further delay." 



" Only what concerns yourself, "William, and has reference 

 to your quarrel with Lord Mervyn. I don't want to hear all 

 the nonsense that is usually talked by gentlemen over their 



wine." 



Beauchamp, as succinctly as possible, related what passed 

 relative to his altercation with Lord Mervyn, and producing his 

 pocket-book, in which the entry of his appointment to draw the 

 Marston coverts was written, Mrs. Gordon expressed herself 

 satisfied with his explanation. 



" Thus far," she said, " all is well ; but I wish you clearly 

 to understand, William Beauchamp, that I thoroughly disap- 

 prove of duelling. It is a cowardly, unchristian practice, 

 adapted to heathens and atheists only, and, as such, I must 

 exact from you a promise that you will never again permit 

 yourself to stand in the position you have this evening, of medi- 

 tating the sacrifice of a fellow-creature's life, to satisfy what you 

 gentlemen call by the false name of honour." 



" I hope you will acquit me of any such bloodthirsty inten- 



