The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean — page 313: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- 240 THE STEAM PACKET. and no longer ; and, if they don’t come then, you can give mea cer- tificate of punctuality and - "7 ‘ ‘‘Here they are!’ cried Captain Pentonville, who, to speak the truth, would have been very much annoyed and disappointed had the issue turned out as his principal seemed to desire. Indeed, ‘‘ seconds ”’ always are. most busy and officious—proud of the importance with which they are invested upon these occasions—and too much gratified at the compliment paid them of having their services enlisted in the mysterious business, to allow the matter to be very easily hushed up. Were it not for this disgusting feeling—which is almost invariably felt by ‘* seconds ”—many a duel would be prevented, many a misunder~ standing, apparently admitting of no alternative save a combat, would be amicably arranged, and many a life saved. As the opponent party—consisting of three, viz. Mr. Latitat, Ma- jor Pepperton, and a surgeon—drew near, both Captain Pentonville and the tailor were struck with the extraordinary appearance which the principal on that side seemed to wear at a distance. He appeared like a human being without legs—rolling along like an enormous roc’s ego upright—of as if his lower extremities were encased in a sack. As he drew nearer and nearer, the singularity of his aspect increased. rather than diminished, until it at length became evident to both the captain and the tailor, at the same moment, that the redoubtable. Mr. Latitat was actually advancing to.the field of combat clad ina blanket ! : | {7 And such was in reality the case. Mr. Latitat was very far from being deficient in courage, but he was not equally well supplied with breeches. An accident on the preceding evening had damaged the only pair he possessed, in such a way that he was compelled to send them to a tailor’s ; and when that functionary brought them home again the first thing that morning, there was not a franc, nor a ghost of a franc, in the lawyer’s possession to liquidate the amount claimed for repairs, The “‘snip”’ was inexorable—Mr. Latitat already owed him a bill, and he would not leave the breeches without the money. What was to be done? Time pressed—and neither Mr. Latitat’s second nor surgeon possessed either a fraction of coin or a change of inexpressi- bles. Mr. Latitat was not, however, the man to be disappointed. Although he had never spoken to Miss Belinda Pifpaf in his life, he’ ~ concluded that every lady was to be won by courage, and that this was a combat to determine the right of possession of the fair maiden’s hand, between two deadly rivals. Huis breast was filled with chivalry, love, and law; and Mrs. Snork had urged him on to do anything sooner than’ compromise his chances of success in this affair. She had even kindly Gomicbooks.co