'  I  never,  while  1  am  master  of  my  temper,  will  give  ray«

*  self  so  much  cause  of  repentance  to  the  last  hour  of  my
'  life,  as  I  should  have,  were  I  to  draw  my  sword,  to  the

•  irreparable  injury  of  any  man's  family :  or  to  run  tlie
'  same  risk  of  injuring  my  own,  and  of  incurring  the  final
'  perdition  of  us  both !'

Mr.  Meiu  This  answer  rather  provoked  than  satisfied,
I  suppose  ?

Sir  Ch.  Provocation  was  not  my  intention.  I  designed
only  to  remind  him  of  the  obligations  we  were  both  under
to  our  respective  families,  and  to  throw  in  a  hint  of  a  still
superior  consideration.     It  was  likely  to  have  more  force


56  THE    HISTORY    OF

in  that  Roman  Catholic  country  than,  I  am  sorry  to  say  if,
it  would  in  this  Protestant  one.
Sir  Har.   How,  how.  Sir  Charles,  did  it  end  ?

Sir  Ch.  I  went  to  Verona.  He  followed  me  thither ;
and  endeavoured  to  provoke  me  to  draw.  Why  should  I
drawl  said  I.  Will  the  decision  by  the  sword  be  cer-
tainly  that  of  justice  ?  You  are  in  a  passion.  You  have
no  reason  to  doubt  either  my  skill,  or  my  courage :  [On
such  an  occasion,  gentlemen,  and  with  such  a  view,  a  man
may  perhaps  be  allowed  to  give  himself  a  little  conse-
quence:] and  solemnly  once  more  do  I  avow  my  inno-
cence, and  desire  to  be  brought  face  to  face  with  my
accusers.
