'This is a matter that your friend and I shall arrange. The choice of weapons, however, I may add, rests with your side.'
'Then please wait till I write a note to—Jabez Drummond,' and the fellow, taking a pen, seated himself at his desk. But his fears had so unnerved him that he made several attempts before he could get the pen into the ink bottle; and wasted several sheets of paper before his hand was steady enough to produce legible writing. When he had ended he turned to the visitor:
'Will you not take a glass of spirits before you go? Will you not come and breakfast with me?' His cringing manner was most despicable; and Harland answered in a tone of quiet scorn:
'No, thank you.'
Then placing the letter into Harland's hands, he said:
'Can this not be made a formal encounter? I have read that this thing is often done.'
'What do you mean, Mr. Ham?'
'That we do not, for example, use bullets. Let it be blank charges.'
'Of course you are at liberty to do what you please in this respect,'
Harland answered, with irony. 'But we shall use bullets.'
'My God, Mr. Harland, you seem to delight in taking the part of a monster.'