under their chairs without a struggle. The survivors made some
lugubrious efforts at a triumph over their less stubborn companions, but
the laborious and husky laugh was but a poor apology for the proper
performance of this feat. Munro, who to his other qualities added those
of a sturdy _bon-vivant_, together with Forrester, and a few who still
girt in the lawyer as the prince of the small jest, discharged their
witticisms upon the staggering condition of affairs; not forgetting in
their assaults the disputatious civilian himself. That worthy, we regret
to add, though still unwilling to yield, and still striving to retort,
had nevertheless suffered considerable loss of equilibrium. His speeches
were more than ever confused, and it was remarked that his eyes danced
about hazily, with a most ineffectual expression. He looked about,
however, with a stupid gaze of self-satisfaction; but his laugh and
language, forming a strange and most unseemly coalition, degenerated at
last into a dolorous sniffle, indicating the rapid departure of the few
mental and animal holdfasts which had lingered with him so long. While
thus reduced, his few surviving senses were at once called into acute
activity by the appearance of a sooty little negro, who thrust into his
hands a misshapen fold of dirty paper, which a near examination made out
to take the form of a letter.

"Why, what the d----l, d----d sort of fist is this you've given me, you
bird of blackness! where got you this vile scrawl?--faugh! you've had it
in your jaws, you raven, have you not?"

The terrified urchin retreated a few paces while answering the inquiry.

"No, mass lawyer--de pedler--da him gib um to me so. I bring um straight
as he gib um."