One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

George Meredith
I may have expressed myself …. I have a strong feeling for
the welfare of the country.’
‘So, it seems, you said to the magistrate. Do you tell me,
that the cause of your gross breach of the law, was a consideration
for the welfare of the country? Run on the facts.’
‘The facts—I must have begun badly, sir.’ Skepsey rattled
the dry facts in his head to right them. From his not having
begun well, they had become dry as things underfoot. It was
an error to have led off with the sentiments. ‘Two very, two
very respectable persons—respectable—were desirous to witness
a short display of my, my system, I would say; of my
science, they call it.’
‘Don’t be nervous. To the point; you went into a field five
miles out of London, in broad day, and stood in a ring, the
usual Tiff-raff about you!’
‘With the gloves: and not for money, Sir: for the trial of
skill; not very many people. I cannot quite see the breach of
the law.’
‘So you told the magistrate. You were fined for your inability
to quite see. And you had to give security.’
‘Mr. Durance was kindly responsible for me, sir: an acquaintance
of the magistrate.’
‘This boxing of yours is a positive mania, Skepsey. You
must try to get the better of it—must! And my name too!
I’m to be proclaimed, as having in my service an inveterate
pugilist—who breaks the law from patriotism! Male or female,
these very respectable persons—the people your show
was meant for?’
‘Male, sir. Females! … that is, not the respectable ones.’
‘Take the opinion of the respectable ones for your standard
of behaviour in future.’
‘It was a mere trial of skill, sir, to prove to one of the spectators,
that I could be as good as my word. I wished I may
say, to conciliate him, partly. He would not—he judged by
size—credit me with … he backed my adversary Jerry
Scroom—a sturdy boxer, without the knowledge of the first
principles.’
‘You beat him?’
‘I think I taught the man that I could instruct, sir; he was
complimentary before we parted. He thought I could not
have lasted. After the second round, the police appeared.’
‘And you ran!’
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