"Oh, shut it!" said the man in spectacles.
"Pull yourself together, and chuck away that bit
of paper. What are you really going to do?"

"But it was a lovely catechism," said Syme
pathetically. "Do let me read it you. It has only
forty-three questions and answers, and some of the
Marquis's answers are wonderfully witty. I like to
be just to my enemy."

"But what's the good of it all?" asked Dr. Bull
in exasperation.

"It leads up to my challenge, don't you see,"
said Syme, beaming. "When the Marquis has
given the thirty-ninth reply, which runs----"

"Has it by any chance occurred to you," asked
the Professor, with a ponderous simplicity, "that
the Marquis may not say all the forty-three things
you have put down for him? In that case I un-
derstand, your own epigrams may appear some-
what more forced."

Syme struck the table with a radiant face.

"Why, how true that is," he said, "and I
never thought of it. Sir, you have an in-
tellect beyond the common. You will make a
name."

"Oh, you're as drunk as an owl!" said the
Doctor.

-159-