Page:Artabanzanus (Ferrar, 1896).djvu/237

Rh actually did so, would not the Doctor and I be immediately sacrificed to the revengeful fury of the Parliament and the people? If he killed me! Oh, heartrending, maddening thought! to die in that place, and perhaps be kept there for ever—never to see my darlings again!

'Were you mad?' said the Doctor angrily, as we drove back to the hospital with the speed of lightning. 'Would nothing serve you but to grossly insult that powerful Parliament, and run me into all this trouble and danger, and your own head into the mouth of a roaring, ravening lion? Who are you that you must go and condemn Home Rule in Ireland? And you must forsooth go and do battle for your immaculate Great Lake, and abuse their glorious project of building their grand city round it, as if your confounded Great Lake was only worthy to be looked upon by your own divine angels in petticoats and breeches. I tell you what, Ubertus, you have brought me and yourself into a most disastrous and horrible scrape, and I only wish I could see our way well out of it. Partigan never misses his aim, and is an implacable fire-eater besides; he will demand twenty shots if necessary.'

'Shall we fight with pistols, Doctor?'

'Pistols, no; what are pistols? Partigan snaps his fingers at pistols.'

'You mentioned shots—rifles?'

'No.'

'Well, swords or bayonets?'

'No; do swords or bayonets shoot, you jackass?'

'With what weapons, then, sir?'

'With ! Get on horses!'

I laughed uneasily, and said timidly, while affecting the greatest indifference:

'Don't you think, Doctor, that I gave them a pretty telling speech? I mean, don't you think, that if they were