"'Sir,' said I, 'I am not accustomed to have my word doubted. I admit, that not being perfectly acquainted with the boundaries of the Wrigglesworth property, I have transgressed and trespassed. I am sorry for it; and sorry that you should have so far forgotten yourself as to use language which, I am quite sure, in a more temperate mood you would regret.' "'Sir,' said Bagswash, half doubting, and certainly more than half fearing me, 'I don't know that I have used any strong expressions, I--' "'Rascal, I think,' said I, bowing profoundly. "'If I did, I--really,' said Bagswash, 'I--might--but I was irritated--sir, this is my manor.' "'Why, sir,' said I, 'as to your manner, I _do_ think it might have been a little more courteous--I----' "'Yes, sir,' said my antagonist, who evidently was anxious to justify his coarseness and vulgarity, 'but--the manor, I mean--for I can't pun, sir, and I hate puns, sir; the manor, I mean, costs me a very large sum annually--a very large sum indeed, sir, to preserve; and therefore when I see what I conceive to be a poacher immediately under my nose, actually in my homestead--upon my lawn, I may say--shooting right and left, it _does_ put me in a passion, and I own I was warm, and perhaps hasty; but it _is_ a provocation, and I should like to know, under all the circumstances, what _you_ yourself would say if you were _me_ at this moment?' "'Say, sir!' said I; 'I haven't the smallest hesitation about that, sir. If I were _you_ at this moment, I should say,--"Mr. Daly, I beg your pardon for the hasty way in which I spoke when I thought you a poacher; and, in order to show that although passionate I am not vindictive, I hope, as it is just luncheon-time, and you must have walked a long way and haven't had very good sport, that you will do me and Mrs. Bagswash the favour to come in and take a cutlet, or a little cold meat, as the case may be, and make up our differences with a glass or two of wine." "'By Jove,' cried Bagswash, 'you are a queer fellow--the very spit of your father, whom I knew before I retired to these parts.' "'Oh,' whispered one of the keepers to the other, 'master does know him--he _had_ a father.' "'Oh,' said the other; and they both immediately lowered their sticks to the ground. "'And,' continued the squire, 'you have only just anticipated me in an invitation, except that I apprehended some more serious requisition on _your_ part.' "'Not a bit, sir,' said I; 'there are a vast many gentlemen in the world who don't look like gentlemen, and the shooting jacket and gaiters equalise appearances so much, that Nature must have done a vast deal to give a man an aristocratic appearance under so rough a husk--but as to any meeting, except at your hospitable table, I have not the slightest wish for it. In my opinion, sir, one luncheon is preferable to two balls.'