We may place our men, then, I think,' observed the officer, with as

much indifference as if the principals were chess-men, and the

seconds players.

I think we may,' replied Mr Snodgrass; who would have assented to

any proposition, because he knew nothing about the matter. The

officer crossed to Doctor Slammer, and Mr Snodgrass went up to Mr

Winkle.

'It's all ready,' said he, offering the pistol. 'Give me your cloak.'

'You have got the packet, my dear fellow,' said poor Winkle. 'All right,'

said Mr Snodgrass. 'Be steady, and wing him.'

It occurred to Mr Winkle that this advice was very like that which

bystanders invariably give to the smallest boy in a street fight, namely,

Go in, and win' - an admirable thing to recommend, if you only know

how to do it. He took off his cloak, however, in silence - it always took

a long time to undo that cloak - and accepted the pistol. The seconds

retired, the gentleman on the camp-stool did the same, and the

belligerents approached each other.

Mr Winkle was always remarkable for extreme humanity. It is

conjectured that his unwillingness to hurt a fellow-creature

intentionally was the cause of his shutting his eyes when he arrived at

the fatal spot; and that the circumstance of his eyes being closed,

prevented his observing the very extraordinary and unaccountable

demeanour of Doctor Slammer. That gentleman started, stared,

retreated, rubbed his eyes, stared again, and, finally, shouted, 'Stop,

stop!'

'What's all this?' said Doctor Slammer, as his friend and Mr Snodgrass

came running up; 'that's not the man.'

Not the man!' said Doctor Slammer's second.

Not the man!' said Mr Snodgrass.

Not the man!' said the gentleman with the camp-stool in his hand.

Certainly not,' replied the little doctor. 'That's not the person who

insulted me last night.'

Very extraordinary!' exclaimed the officer.

Very,' said the gentleman with the camp-stool. 'The only question is,

whether the gentleman, being on the ground, must not be considered,

as a matter of form, to be the individual who insulted our friend,

The Pickwick Papers