He turned and looked at me, as if to say, 'Who the devil are you!' He looked me up and down contemptuously, and I began to feel that I was almost losing my temper.
'My good young man,' he said, 'I imagine that I was engaged in war when your battles were with your nursemaid.'
'You have the advantage of me in courtesy as well as in years, sir,' I replied. 'But I might suggest that a man may fight all his life, and have no more idea of war at the end than at the beginning.'
'It depends on the intelligence,' remarked Matteo.
'Exactly what I was thinking,' said I.
'What the devil do you mean?' said the man, angrily.
'I don't suppose he means anything at all, Ercole,' put in Checco, with a forced laugh.
'He can answer for himself, I suppose,' said the man. A flush came over Checco's face, but he did not answer.
'My good sir,' I said, 'you have to consider whether I choose to answer.'
'Jackanapes!'