the hearers; but Pennroyal, in no way abashed, added, "Let him disprove it
if he can. Since he provokes me to it, I affirm it--his father had no
right to the title. Let him prove the contrary if he can. I didn't force
on the discussion, but I will tell young Sir Edward Malmaison, as he calls
himself, that he holds property to which he has no claim, and that it
depends upon my good-will and pleasure how long he holds it."

The host--he was Francis Hastings Kent, Esq. and M. P., the same who
afterward became famous in the Corn-law controversy--here interposed, and
"spoke the sense of the meeting." "Egad, Pennroyal," cried he, "you are
drunk, and you have insulted a gentleman at my table. I'll trouble you to
make him an apology. I have no doubt that Sir Edward Malmaison's titles
are just as good as yours or mine, and, begad, they sha'n't be called in
question here at all events. I say you shall make Sir Edward an apology!"


There was only one man in the room who evinced any disagreement with this
speech, and that one was Major Bolingbroke, a retired officer of good
family but of not altogether unexceptionable personal repute; he was
believed to have fought more duels than are usually considered desirable;
and he had for some months past been a constant inmate at the house of Mr.
Pennroyal.

"It's no affair of mine, of course," said this gallant warrior, "if Sir
Edward chooses to put up with such language from a man, on the ground that
he was drunk when he used it. Only, if there's going to be an apology, I
should advise Sir Edward to exact a very full one, and lose no time about
it."

Sir Edward, however, rose carelessly, and said with a smile that he could