412 A CANTANKEROUS FELLOW. 



right to it, exclaimed, looking towards me, and in 

 reply to me, "And that shows the stuff you're made 

 on." "Very likely," I said, "but if you apply 

 the word ' stuff' invidiously, I throw it back, with all 

 the contempt it deserves. I say again, no man shall close 

 my window without my permission." Another warwhoop 

 from all the dark places of the carriage. "Wall! we 

 shall see," continued this snarling, quarrelsome voice ; 

 u I '11 have'that window shut down." A pause then occur 

 red, in which the Irishman at my side pressed his hand on 

 my thigh I suppose to keep me quiet. ' l Wall/' continued 

 the cantankerous voice again, "we shall see when the 

 conductor comes if we don't get that window o' yourn 

 closed." No answer ; I sat perfectly quiet, with it wide 

 open, and the snarling voice continued helplessly on 

 till I suppose it got tired, and then going on again, it 

 said, " Wall ! we shall see if the conductor thinks that a 

 passenger has a right to keep his window open to the 

 annoyance of a lady." Then, for the first time, I per 

 ceived that there was a female at his side. The man then 

 remained quiet for perhaps ten minutes, when, seeing that 

 he had given it up as a bad job, I got up and crossed the 

 carriage to him and a pin might have been heard to drop 

 when I did so " Now, sir," I said to him, "we have both 

 had time to cool. If, in the first instance, you had civilly 

 asked me to close my window because it annoyed you, I 

 might, perhaps, have done so ; but that time is past as far 

 as you are concerned. If, however, the lady at your side 

 even now tells me that she wishes the window closed I 

 shall be happy to comply with her request." I think he 

 said something to the female, and then remarked, " The 

 lady does wish the window closed." On this I strode 

 back and shut it, saying, " There, I have closed it for 



