andItoldO’ConnorthatuponsecondthoughtsIwouldridedownwithhimtothetown，andwaituponMr。Fitzgerald。
Wefoundhimathome；andchattedwithhimforaconsiderabletime。Tomysurprisehismannerswereperfectlythoseofagentleman，andhisconversation，ifnotpeculiarlyengaging，wascertainlyamusing。Thepolitenessofhisdemeanour，andtheeasyfluencywithwhichhetoldhisstoriesandhisanecdotes，manyofthemcurious，andallmoreorlessentertaining，accountedtomymindatonceforthefacilitywithwhichhehadimprovedhisacquaintancewithO’Connor；andwhenhepresseduponusaninvitationtosupwithhimthatnight，IhadalmostjoinedO’Connorinacceptingit。Idetermined，however，againstdoingso，forI
hadnowishtobeontermsoffamiliaritywithMr。Fitzgerald；andIknewthatoneeveningspenttogetherasheproposedwouldgofurthertowardsestablishinganintimacybetweenusthanfiftymorningvisitscoulddo。WhenIarosetodepart，itwaswithfeelingsalmostfavourabletoFitzgerald；indeedIwasmorethanhalfashamedtoacknowledgetomycompanionhowcompletearevolutioninmyopinionrespectinghisfriendhalfanhour’sconversationwithhimhadwrought。HisappearancecertainlyWASagainsthim；butthen，undertheinfluenceofhismanner，onelostsightofmuchofitsungainliness，andofnearlyallitsvulgarity；and，onthewhole，Ifeltconvincedthatreporthaddonehimgrievouswrong，inasmuchasanybody，byanobservanceofthecommoncourtesiesofsociety，mighteasilyavoidcomingintopersonalcollisionwithagentlemansostudiouslypoliteasFitzgerald。Atparting，O’Connorrequestedmetocalluponhimthenextday，asheintendedtomaketrialofthemeritsofapairofgreyhounds，whichhehadthoughtsofpurchasing；adding，thatifhecouldescapeinanythingliketolerabletimefromFitzgerald’ssupper-party，hewouldtakethefieldsoonaftertenonthenextmorning。Attheappointedhour，orperhapsalittlelater，IdismountedatCastleConnor；and，onenteringthehall，IobservedagentlemanissuingfromO’Connor’sprivateroom。Irecognisedhim，asheapproached，asaMr。
M’Donough，and，beingbutslightlyacquaintedwithhim，wasabouttopasshimwithabow，whenhestoppedme。
Therewassomethinginhismannerwhichstruckmeasodd；heseemedagooddealflurriedifnotagitated，andsaid，inahurriedtone：
’Thisisaveryfoolishbusiness，Mr。
Purcell。YouhavesomeinfluencewithmyfriendO’Connor；Ihopeyoucaninducehimtoadoptsomemoremoderatelineofconductthanthathehasdecidedupon。Ifyouwillallowme，Iwillreturnforamomentwithyou，andtalkoverthematteragainwithO’Connor。’
AsM’Donoughutteredthesewords，I
feltthatsuddensinkingoftheheartwhichaccompaniestheimmediateanticipationofsomethingdreadedanddreadful。IwasinstantlyconvincedthatO’ConnorhadquarrelledwithFitzgerald，andIknewthatifsuchwerethecase，nothingshortofamiraclecouldextricatehimfromtheconsequences。IsignedtoM’Donoughtoleadtheway，andweenteredthelittlestudytogether。O’Connorwasstandingwithhisbacktothefire；onthetablelaythebreakfast-thingsinthedisorderinwhichahurriedmealhadleftthem；andonanothersmallertable，placednearthehearth，laypen，ink，andpaper。AssoonasO’Connorsawme，hecameforwardandshookmecordiallybythehand。
’MydearPurcell，’saidhe，’youaretheverymanIwanted。Ihavegotintoanuglyscrape，andItrusttomyfriendstogetmeoutofit。’
’Youhavehadnodisputewiththatman——thatFitzgerald，Ihope，’saidI，givingutterancetotheconjecturewhosetruthImostdreaded。
’Faith，Icannotsayexactlywhatpassedbetweenus，’saidhe，’inasmuchasIwasatthetimenearlyhalfseasover；butofthismuchIamcertain，thatweexchangedangrywordslastnight。I
lostmytempermostconfoundedly；but，aswellasIcanrecollect，heappearedperfectlycoolandcollected。Whathesaidwas，therefore，deliberatelysaid，andonthataccountmustberesented。’
’MydearO’Connor，areyoumad？’I
exclaimed。’Whywillyouseektodrivetoadeadlyissueafewhastywords，utteredundertheinfluenceofwine，andforgottenalmostassoonasuttered？A
quarrelwithFitzgeralditistwentychancestoonewouldterminatefatallytoyou。’
’ItisexactlybecauseFitzgeraldISsuchanaccomplishedshot，’saidhe，’thatI
becomeliabletothemostinjuriousandintolerablesuspicionsifIsubmittoanythingfromhimwhichcouldbeconstruedintoanaffront；andforthatreasonFitzgeraldistheverylastmantowhomI
wouldconcedeaninchinacaseofhonour。’
’Idonotrequireyoutomakeany，theslightestsacrificeofwhatyoutermyourhonour，’Ireplied；’butifyouhaveactuallywrittenachallengetoFitzgerald，asIsuspectyouhavedone，Iconjureyoutoreconsiderthematterbeforeyoudespatchit。FromallthatIhaveheardyousay，Fitzgeraldhasmoretocomplainofinthealtercationwhichhastakenplacethanyou。Youoweittoyouronlysurvivingparentnottothrustyourselfthuswantonlyupon——Iwillsayit，themostappallingdanger。Nobody，mydearO’Connor，canhaveadoubtofyourcourage；andifatanytime，whichGodforbid，youshallbecalleduponthustoriskyourlife，youshouldhaveitinyourpowertoenterthefieldundertheconsciousnessthatyouhaveactedthroughouttemperatelyandlikeaman，andnot，asI
fearyounowwoulddo，havingrashlyandmostcauselesslyendangeredyourownlifeandthatofyourfriend。’
’Ibelieve，Purcell，yourareright，’saidhe。’IbelieveIHAVEviewedthematterintoodecidedalight；mynote，Ithink，scarcelyallowshimanhonourablealternative，andthatiscertainlygoingasteptoofar——furtherthanIintended。Mr。
M’Donough，I’llthankyoutohandmethenote。’
Hebroketheseal，and，castinghiseyehastilyoverit，hecontinued：
’Itis，indeed，amonumentoffolly。I
amveryglad，Purcell，youhappenedtocomein，otherwiseitwouldhavereacheditsdestinationbythistime。’
Hethrewitintothefire；and，afteramoment’spause，resumed：
’Youmustnotmistakeme，however。
Iamperfectlysatisfiedastothepropriety，nay，thenecessity，ofcommunicatingwithFitzgerald。ThedifficultyisinwhattoneIshouldaddresshim。Icannotsaythatthemandirectlyaffrontedme——IcannotrecollectanyoneexpressionwhichIcouldlayholduponasoffensive——buthislanguagewasambiguous，andadmittedfrequentlyofthemostinsultingconstruction，andhismannerthroughoutwasinsupportablydomineering。IknowitimpressedmewiththeideathathepresumeduponhisreputationasaDEADSHOT，andthatwouldbeutterlyunendurable’
’Iwouldnowrecommend，asIhavealreadydone，’saidM’Donough，’thatifyouwritetoFitzgerald，itshouldbeinsuchastrainastoleavehimatperfectliberty，withoutacompromiseofhonour，inafriendlyway，tosatisfyyourdoubtsastohisconduct。’
Isecondedtheproposalwarmly，andO’Connor，inafewminutes，finishedanote，whichhedesiredustoread。Itwastothiseffect：
’O’Connor，ofCastleConnor，feelingthatsomeexpressionsemployedbyMr。
Fitzgeralduponlastnight，admittedofaconstructionoffensivetohim，andinjurioustohischaracter，requeststoknowwhetherMr。Fitzgeraldintendedtoconveysuchameaning。
’CastleConnor，Thursdaymorning。’
ThisnotewasconsignedtothecareofMr。M’Donough，whoforthwithdepartedtoexecutehismission。Thesoundofhishorse’shoofs，asheroderapidlyaway，struckheavilyatmyheart；butIfoundsomesatisfactioninthereflectionthatM’DonoughappearedasaversefromextrememeasuresasIwasmyself，forI
wellknew，withrespecttothefinalresultoftheaffair，thatasmuchdependeduponthetoneadoptedbytheSECOND，asuponthenatureofthewrittencommunication。
Ihaveseldompassedamoreanxioushourthanthatwhichintervenedbetweenthedepartureandthereturnofthatgentleman。EveryinstantIimaginedIheardthetrampofahorseapproaching，andeverytimethatadooropenedIfancieditwastogiveentrancetotheeagerlyexpectedcourier。AtlengthIdidhearthehollowandrapidtreadofahorse’shoofupontheavenue。Itapproached——itstopped——ahurriedsteptraversedthehall——theroomdooropened，andM’Donoughentered。
’Youhavemadegreathaste，’saidO’Connor；’didyoufindhimathome？’
’Idid，’repliedM’Donough，’andmadethegreaterhasteasFitzgeralddidnotletmeknowthecontentsofhisreply。’
AtthesametimehehandedanotetoO’Connor，whoinstantlybroketheseal。
Thewordswereasfollow：
’Mr。FitzgeraldregretsthatanythingwhichhasfallenfromhimshouldhaveappearedtoMr。O’Connortobeintendedtoconveyareflectionuponhishonournonesuchhavingbeenmeant，andbegsleavetodisavowanywishtoquarrelunnecessarilywithMr。O’Connor。
’T——Inn，Thursdaymorning。’
IcannotdescribehowmuchIfeltrelievedonreadingtheabovecommunication。
ItookO’Connor’shandandpresseditwarmly，butmyemotionsweredeeperandstrongerthanIcaredtoshow，forI
wasconvincedthathehadescapedamostimminentdanger。Nobodywhosenotionsuponthesubjectarederivedfromtheduellingofmoderntimes，inwhichmattersareconductedwithoutanyverysanguinarydeterminationuponeitherside，andwithequalwantofskillandcoolnessbybothparties，canformajustestimateofthedangerincurredbyonewhoventuredtoencounteraduellistoftheoldschool。
Perfectcoolnessinthefield，andasteadinessandaccuracywhichtotheunpractisedappearedalmostmiraculousintheuseofthepistol，formedthecharacteristicsofthisclass；andinadditiontothistheregenerallyexistedakindofprofessionalpride，whichpromptedtheduellist，indefaultofanymoremalignantfeeling，frommotivesofmerevanity，toseekthelifeofhisantagonist。Fitzgerald’scareerhadbeenaremarkablysuccessfulone，andIknewthatoutofthirteenduelswhichhehadfoughtinIreland，inninecaseshehadKILLEDhisman。Inthosedaysoneneverheardofthepartiesleavingthefield，asnotunfrequentlynowoccurs，withoutbloodhavingbeenspilt；andtheoddswere，ofcourse，inallcasestremendouslyagainstayoungandunpractisedman，whenmatchedwithanexperiencedantagonist。Myimpressionrespectingthemagnitudeofthedangerwhichmyfriendhadincurredwasthereforebynomeansunwarranted。
InowquestionedO’ConnormoreaccuratelyrespectingthecircumstancesofhisquarrelwithFitzgerald。Itarosefromsomedisputerespectingtheapplicationofaruleofpiquet，atwhichgametheyhadbeenplaying，eachinterpretingitfavourablytohimself，andO’Connor，havinglostconsiderably，wasinnomoodtoconductanargumentwithtemper——analtercationensued，andthatofratherapungentnature，andtheresultwasthatheleftFitzgerald’sroomratherabruptly，determinedtodemandanexplanationinthemostperemptorytone。ForthispurposehehadsentforM’Donough，andhadcommissionedhimtodeliverthenote，whichmyarrivalhadfortunatelyintercepted。
Asitwasnowpastnoon，O’Connormademepromisetoremainwithhimtodinner；andwesatdownapartyofthree，allinhighspiritsattheterminationofouranxieties。Itisnecessarytomention，forthepurposeofaccountingforwhatfollows，thatMrs。O’Connor，or，asshewasmoreeuphoniouslystyled，theladyofCastleConnor，wasprecludedbyill-healthfromtakingherplaceatthedinner-table，and，indeed，seldomleftherroombeforefouro’clock。[4]Weweresittingafterdinnersippingourclaret，andtalking，andlaughing，andenjoyingourselvesexceedingly，whenaservant，steppingintotheroom，informedhismasterthatagentlemanwantedtospeakwithhim。
[4]Itisscarcelynecessarytoremindthereader，thatattheperiodspokenof，theimportanthourofdinneroccurredverynearlyatnoon。
’Requesthim，withmycompliments，towalkin，’saidO’Connor；andinafewmomentsagentlemanenteredtheroom。
Hisappearancewasanythingbutprepossessing。Hewasalittleabovethemiddlesize，spare，andraw-boned；hisfaceveryred，hisfeaturessharpandbluish，andhisagemightbeaboutsixty。HisattiresavouredagooddealoftheSHABBY-
GENTEEL；hisclothes，whichhadmuchoftarnishedandfadedpretensionaboutthem，didnotfithim，andhadnotimprobablyflutteredinthestallsofPlunketStreet。Wehadrisenonhisentrance，andO’Connorhadtwicerequestedofhimtotakeachairatthetable，withouthishearing，oratleastnoticing，theinvitation；whilewithaslowpace，andwithanairofmingledimportanceandeffrontery，headvancedintothecentreoftheapartment，andregardingoursmallpartywithasuperciliousair，hesaid：
’Itakethelibertyofintroducingmyself——IamCaptainM’Creagh，formerlyofthe——infantry。MybusinesshereiswithaMr。O’Connor，andthesooneritisdespatchedthebetter。’