ear-witness to part of the colloquy, very much to his edification.

"What is your mirth, Bywater?"

Bywater drew himself straight, and turned round as if he had been shot.
"I was only laughing, my lord," he said, touching his trencher.

"I see you were; you will lose your breath altogether some day, if you
laugh in that violent manner. What were you and Ketch quarrelling
about?"

"We were not quarrelling, my lord. I was only chaff--teasing him,"
rejoined Bywater, substituting one word for the other, as if fearing
the first might not altogether be suited to the bishop's ears; "and
Ketch fell into a passion."

"As he often does, I fear," remarked his lordship. "I fancy you boys
provoke him unjustifiably."

"My lord," said Bywater, turning his red, impudent, but honest face
full upon the prelate, "I don't deny that we do provoke him; but you
can have no idea what an awful tyrant he is to us. I can't believe any
one was ever born with such a cross-grained temper. He vents it upon
every one: not only upon the college boys, but upon all who come in his
way. If your lordship were not the bishop," added bold Bywater, "he
would vent it upon you."

"Would he?" said the bishop, who was a dear lover of candour, and would
have excused a whole bushel of mischief, rather than one little grain
of falsehood.