time at such a hole as this, is rather an irregular sort of proceeding, I

fancy. This shall be made known. I'll write to the papers.’

My uncle said this in a pretty loud voice, and in an open, unreserved

sort of manner, with the view of engaging the two strangers in

conversation if he could. But, neither of them took any more notice of

him than whispering to each other, and scowling at him as they did

so. The lady was at the farther end of the room, and once she

ventured to wave her hand, as if beseeching my uncle's assistance.

At length the two strangers advanced a little, and the conversation

began in earnest.

'‘You don't know this is a private room, I suppose, fellow?’ said the

gentleman in sky-blue.

‘No, I do not, fellow,’ rejoined my uncle. ‘Only, if this is a private room

specially ordered for the occasion, I should think the public room

must be a VERY comfortable one;’ with this, my uncle sat himself

down in a high-backed chair, and took such an accurate measure of

the gentleman, with his eyes, that Tiggin and Welps could have

supplied him with printed calico for a suit, and not an inch too much

or too little, from that estimate alone.

‘Quit this room,’ said both men together, grasping their swords.

‘Eh?’ said my uncle, not at all appearing to comprehend their

meaning.

‘Quit the room, or you are a dead man,’ said the ill-looking fellow with

the large sword, drawing it at the same time and flourishing it in the

air.

‘Down with him!’ cried the gentleman in sky-blue, drawing his sword

also, and falling back two or three yards. ‘Down with him!’ The lady

gave a loud scream.

Now, my uncle was always remarkable for great boldness, and great

presence of mind. All the time that he had appeared so indifferent to

what was going on, he had been looking slily about for some missile or

weapon of defence, and at the very instant when the swords were

drawn, he espied, standing in the chimney- corner, an old basket-

hilted rapier in a rusty scabbard. At one bound, my uncle caught it in

his hand, drew it, flourished it gallantly above his head, called aloud

to the lady to keep out of the way, hurled the chair at the man in sky-

blue, and the scabbard at the man in plum-colour, and taking

advantage of the confusion, fell upon them both, pell-mell.

The Pickwick Papers