I sat down to that meal in sole company of Surgeon Burke (my brother not yet being up); and then I had news of Ouvery.
“’Tis the second time of bleeding the villain,” says Burke, “and, if you will pass me the poached eggs, I’ll even show you how ’tis done.”
“So you have carved him like a poached egg,” answered I laughing, as I passed the dish to him. He provided himself with great liberality; and, between munching of the eggs, “Knives for eggs, and lancets for villains,” says he, “there be your remedies, look you!”
While he yet spoke, my brother entered, and asked what he said about remedies. The surgeon, putting on a countenance of the greatest gravity, replied:
“I gave your brother a very good remedy for gout in the great toe. Do you happen to suffer from the gout, Captain?”
But Dick was out of humour for jest. “Tut, tut,” said he testily, as he sat down; and immediately after Ouvery entered the cabin.
I looked at Burke, who made a grimace at me. Ouvery staggered to the table with much ado for the weakness he was under. He was in a most villainous temper, which the sight of me, be sure, did not serve to sweeten! He sunk heavily into a chair, and began to eat in sullen silence. This wrought on my brother, and he rapped out:
“So you are in the sullens again, my man!”
Ouvery looked up dully and heavily, like a great beast; then a terrible light came into his eyes, and he bounded to his feet with a roar.
“What!” cried he, “you speak to me.... You ... I....” His speech was stopped with passion; but he caught up a great brass salver and cast it at my brother with all his force. It missed his head, and so narrowly, that the hair was stirred upon his scalp; and on that, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, both men had drawn their pistols and fired across!