'No wonder,' said the man, 'with this lightning in one's eyes, by-the-

by. You had better stand by the fire here, and dry yourselves a bit.

You can call for what you like if you want anything. If you don't want

anything, you are not obliged to give an order. Don't be afraid of that.

This is a public-house, that's all. The Valiant Soldier is pretty well

known hereabouts.'

Is this house called the Valiant Soldier, Sir?' asked Nell.

I thought everybody knew that,' replied the landlord. 'Where have you

come from, if you don't know the Valiant Soldier as well as the church

catechism? This is the Valiant Soldier, by James Groves - Jem Groves

honest Jem Groves, as is a man of unblemished moral character,

and has a good dry skittle-ground. If any man has got anything to say

again Jem Groves, let him say it TO Jem Groves, and Jem Groves can

accommodate him with a customer on any terms from four pound a

side to forty.

With these words, the speaker tapped himself on the waistcoat to

intimate that he was the Jem Groves so highly eulogized; sparred

scientifically at a counterfeit Jem Groves, who was sparring at society

in general from a black frame over the chimney-piece; and, applying a

half-emptied glass of spirits and water to his lips, drank Jem Groves's

health.

The night being warm, there was a large screen drawn across the

room, for a barrier against the heat of the fire. It seemed as if

somebody on the other side of this screen had been insinuating

doubts of Mr Groves's prowess, and had thereby given rise to these

egotistical expressions, for Mr Groves wound up his defiance by giving

a loud knock upon it with his knuckles and pausing for a reply from

the other side.

There an't many men,' said Mr Groves, no answer being returned,

who would ventur' to cross Jem Groves under his own roof. There's

only one man, I know, that has nerve enough for that, and that man's

not a hundred mile from here neither. But he's worth a dozen men,

and I let him say of me whatever he likes in consequence - he knows

that.'

In return for this complimentary address, a very gruff hoarse voice

bade Mr Groves 'hold his noise and light a candle.' And the same voice

remarked that the same gentleman 'needn't waste his breath in brag,

for most people knew pretty well what sort of stuff he was made of.'

Nell, they're - they're playing cards,' whispered the old man, suddenly

interested. 'Don't you hear them?'

The Old Curiosity Shop