"Never mind that. Only when I take a fancy to begin, I'll carry it
through. I took to that girl, for poor Wyse's sake; and I'll behave by
her to the last as he would wish; and he who insults her, insults me. I
won't go out of my way to find Stangrave: but if I do, I'll have it
out!"

"Then you will certainly fight. My dearest Tom, do look into your own
heart, and see whether you have not a grain or two of spite against him
left. I assure you you judge him too harshly."

"Hum--that must take its chance. At least, if we fight, we fight fairly
and equally. He is a brave man--I will do him that justice--and a cool
one; and used to be a sweet shot. So he has just as good a chance of
shooting me, if I am in the wrong, as I have of shooting him, if he is."

"But your father?"

"I know. That is very disagreeable; and all the more so because I am
going to insure my life--a pretty premium they will make me pay!--and if
I'm killed in a duel, it will be forfeited. However, the only answer to
that is, that either I shan't fight, or if I do, I shan't be killed. You
know I don't believe in being killed, Claude."

"Tom! Tom! The same as ever!" said Claude sadly.

"Well, old man, and what else would you have me? Nobody could ever alter
me, you know; and why should I alter myself? Here I am, after all, alive
and jolly; and there is old daddy, as comfortable as he ever can be on
earth: and so it will be to the end of the chapter. There! let's talk of
something else."