Verty smiled, and said: "I did not hear what you asked." "No wonder," said Ralph.

And turning to Mr.Jinks: "Observe," he said, in a low tone, "how Mr.Verty is trying to make Miss Sallianna jealous." "Perdition!" said Mr.Jinks.
"Oh, certainly!" replied Ralph, with solemn sympathy; "but here is Mr.
Verty waiting patiently to hear what I have to say." "Yes," said Verty, still smiling.
"It is Mr.Jinks who desires to speak," said Ralph, retiring with a chuckle, and leaving the adversaries face to face.
"Hum--at--yes, sir--I desired to speak, sir!" said Mr.Jinks, with threatening calmness.
"Did you ?" said Verty, smiling.
"Yes, sir!" "I can hear now." "It is well that you can, sir! Mark me, sir! Some people cannot hear!" "Ah ?" said Verty, "yes, you mean deaf people!" "I refer to others, sir!" "Yes ?" "Nor can they see." "Blind people," suggested Verty.
Mr.Jinks had an impression that Verty was trifling with him; and considering him too good-natured to quarrel, advanced toward him with a threatening gesture.
"I refer to people neither blind nor deaf, who cannot see nor hear insults, sir!" he said.
"I never knew any," said Verty, wondering at Mr.Jinks.
"You are one, sir!" "I!" "Yes!" "Do you mean I am afraid of anything ?" "I mean, sir, that I have been wronged." "I don't care," said Verty, "you are not good-natured." "What do you mean, sir ?" "You are angry." "I am, sir!" "I advise you not to be; you don't look handsome," said Verty." "Sir!" cried Mr.Jinks.
Verty's face assumed an expression of mild inquiry.
"Will you fight ?" "Yes," said Verty, "but you ought not to fight with that old sword.
It's too long, and besides it would frighten old Scowley--" "Sir!" cried Mr.Jinks, ferociously.
"And I know Miss Sallianna would scream," said Verty.

"I would'nt mind that, though--I would'nt--for I don't like her--she told me a story!" Mr.Jinks flashed out his sword, and brandished it around his head.
"Oh, me! you've been scrubbing it!" said Verty, laughing.
To describe the terrific rage of Mr.Jinks at this disregard of himself, his threats and weapon, would be utterly impossible.
The great Jinks raved, swore, and executed such ferocious pirouettes upon his grasshopper legs, in the direction of the smiling Verty, that Ralph became alarmed at the consequence of his mischief, and hastened to the rescue.
"No, Jinks!" he cried, "there must be no fighting." "No fighting!" cried Mr.Jinks, whose ferocity, as soon as he found himself held back, became tremendous,--"no fighting!" "No," said Ralph.
"Release me, sir!" "Never!" cried Ralph, pinning his arms.
"Hold me, sir! or I will at once inflict condign punishment upon this individual!" "Certainly," said Ralph, beginning to laugh.

"I will hold you; I thought you said release you!" "I did, sir!" cried Mr.Jinks, making a very faint effort to get at Verty.
"Which shall I do ?" "I will murder him!" cried Mr.Jinks, struggling with more energy, from the fact that Ralph had grasped him more tightly.
"Jinks! Jinks! you a murderer!" "I have been wronged!" said the champion, brandishing his sword.
"Oh, no." "The respectable Mrs.Scowley has been insulted!" "You are mistaken!" "The divine Sallianna has been charged with falsehood!" "A mere jest." "Let me run the villain through!" And Mr.Jinks made a terrific lunge with his sword at Verty, and requested Mr.Ashley to hold him tight, unless he wished to see the Bower of Nature swimming in "gory blood!" The colloquy we have faithfully reported, took place in far less time than we have taken to narrate it.
Redbud had hastened forward with terror in her face, Fanny with bewilderment--lastly, Miss Sallianna had rushed up to the spot with a scream; the various personages came together just when Mr.Jinks uttered his awful threat in relation to "gory blood." "Oh, Verty!" said Redbud.
Verty smiled.
"Alphonso!" cried Miss Sallianna, with distraction.
Alphonso Jinks made overwhelming efforts to get at his enemy.
"Please don't fight--for my sake, Verty!" murmured Redbud, with pale lips.
"Spare him, Alphonso!" cried Miss Sallianna, with a shake of agony in her voice; "spare his youth, and do not take opprobrious revenge!" "He has wronged me!" cried Mr.Jinks.
"Pardon him, Alphonso!" "He has insulted you!" "I forgive him!" cried Miss Sallianna.
"I will have revenge!" And Mr.Jinks brandished his sword, and kept at a distance from Verty, making a feint of struggling.
"Jinks," said Ralph, "you are tiring me out.

I shall let you go in another second, if you don't put up that sword, and stop wrestling with me!" This threat seemed to moderate Mr.Jinks' rage, and he replied: "This momentary anger is over, sir--I forgive, that young man--Sallianna! beautiful Sallianna! for thy sake!" But overcome with nerves, and the revulsion produced by this change in affairs, the beautiful Sallianna's head drooped upon one shoulder, her eyes were closed, and her arms were extended towards Mr.Jinks.
Before that gentleman was aware of the fact, Miss Sallianna had been overcome by nerves, and reclined in a faint state upon his bosom.
We need not detail the remaining particulars of the scene whose outline we have traced.
Verty, who had received all Mr.Jinks' threats and gesticulations with great unconcern, applied himself to conversation with Redbud again: and no doubt would have conversed all the evening, but for Ralph.
Ralph drew him away, pointing to the damp clothes; and with many smiles, they took their leave.
The last thing the young men observed, was Mr.Jinks supporting Miss Sallianna, who had fainted a second time, and raising his despairing eyes to heaven.
They burst out laughing, and continued their way..