There's the officer,' exclaimed Mr Winkle, after a few minutes walking.

Where?' said Mr Snodgrass.

There - the gentleman in the blue cloak.' Mr Snodgrass looked in the

direction indicated by the forefinger of his friend, and observed a

figure, muffled up, as he had described. The officer evinced his

consciousness of their presence by slightly beckoning with his hand;

and the two friends followed him at a little distance, as he walked

away.

The evening grew more dull every moment, and a melancholy wind

sounded through the deserted fields, like a distant giant whistling for

his house-dog. The sadness of the scene imparted a sombre tinge to

the feelings of Mr Winkle. He started as they passed the angle of the

trench - it looked like a colossal grave.

The officer turned suddenly from the path, and after climbing a

paling, and scaling a hedge, entered a secluded field. Two gentlemen

were waiting in it; one was a little, fat man, with black hair; and the

other - a portly personage in a braided surtout - was sitting with

perfect equanimity on a camp-stool.

'The other party, and a surgeon, I suppose,' said Mr Snodgrass; 'take a

drop of brandy.' Mr Winkle seized the wicker bottle which his friend

proffered, and took a lengthened pull at the exhilarating liquid.

'My friend, Sir, Mr Snodgrass,' said Mr Winkle, as the officer

approached. Doctor Slammer's friend bowed, and produced a case

similar to that which Mr Snodgrass carried.

'We have nothing further to say, Sir, I think,' he coldly remarked, as

he opened the case; 'an apology has been resolutely declined.'

'Nothing, Sir,' said Mr Snodgrass, who began to feel rather

uncomfortable himself.

Will you step forward?' said the officer.

Certainly,' replied Mr Snodgrass. The ground was measured, and

preliminaries arranged. 'You will find these better than your own,' said

the opposite second, producing his pistols. 'You saw me load them. Do

you object to use them?'

'Certainly not,' replied Mr Snodgrass. The offer relieved him from

considerable embarrassment, for his previous notions of loading a

pistol were rather vague and undefined.

The Pickwick Papers