"Dear me! I am delighted," said his lordship. "I, too, am interested in balloons. I saw one go up once."
"You like them?" asked Rivaulx, warmly. "That is good! I will take you up in one."
"We will talk of it later," said the bishop, rather hastily for a man of his gentle flowing speech. "But this is the dean's house. If I knock at this window, he will put his head out."
He knocked at the window, and Mr. Dean did put his head out.
"I am so loath to disturb you, Mr. Dean," said his lordship, "but, as I was leaving you and taking a little stroll before retiring, I met two gentlemen, one from the United States and one a French marquis, who were engaged in a warm discussion on a point of honour. I am ignorant of the exact point, and I dare say there is no necessity for our knowing. As a result of this discussion, the French marquis desired to fight a duel with swords (you will observe them under the arm of the gentleman from the United States), and I ventured to intervene, as the duel was to take place upon your grass."
"Humph, indeed!" said the dean, in great astonishment. "And what did you say?"
"I said that it was against your rules to allow any one to fight duels there. Was I not right?"
"Rather!" said the dean. "I should say so."
"And on the other hand," continued the bishop, "the gentleman from across the Atlantic wished to go to bed."
"Then why the—why doesn't he?" asked the dean.