"A quarrel, sir. I had reviewed a work, with the private mark of approval, when it was found out to be a mistake, and I was desired to review it with censure. I expected to be paid for the second review as well as for the first. My employer thought proper to consider it all as one job, and refused--so we parted." "Pretty tricks in trade, indeed!" replied Captain M---. "Why, Mr Collier, you appear to have belonged to a gang of literary bravos, whose pens, like stilettoes, were always ready to stab, in the dark, the unfortunate individuals who might be pointed out to them by interest or revenge." "I acknowledge the justice of your remark, sir; all that I can offer in my defence is, the excuse of the libeller to Cardinal Richelieu--`_Il faut vivre, monsieur_.'" "And I answer you, with the Cardinal--`_Je ne vois pas la necessite_,'" replied Captain M---, with a smile, as he rose to resume his labours. CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. He fell, and, deadly pale, Groaned out his soul. MILTON. "Do, mamma, come here," said Emily, as she was looking out of the window of an inn on the road, where they had stopped to take some refreshment--"do come, and see what a pretty lady is in the chariot which has stopped at the door." Mrs Rainscourt complied with her daughter's request, and acknowledged the justice of the remark when she saw the expressive countenance of Susan (now Mrs McElvina), who was listening to the proposal of her husband that they should alight and partake of some refreshment. Susan consented, and was followed by old Hornblow, who, pulling out his watch from his white cassimere _femoralia_, which he had continued to wear ever since the day of the wedding, declared that they must stop to dine. "This country air makes one confoundedly hungry," said the old man; "I declare I never had such an appetite in Cateaton-street. Susan, my dear, order something that won't take long in cooking--a beef-steak, if they have nothing down at the fire." Mrs Rainscourt, who was as much prepossessed with the appearance of McElvina as with that of his wife, gave vent to her thoughts with "I wonder who they are!" Her maid, who was in the room, took this as a hint to obtain the gratification of her mistress's curiosity as well as her own, and proceeded accordingly on her voyage of discovery. In a few minutes she returned, having boarded the Abigail of Mrs McElvina just as she was coming to an anchor inside the bar; and, having made an interchange of intelligence, with a rapidity incredible to those who are not aware of the velocity of communication between this description of people, re-entered the parlour, to make a report to her commanding officer, precisely at the same moment that Susan's maid was delivering her cargo of intelligence to her own mistress. "They are a new-married couple, ma'am, and their name is McElvina," said the one. "The lady is a Mrs Rainscourt, and the young lady is her daughter, and a great heiress," whispered the other.