Mr. Jonas Brown was in a towering passion, when he left the meeting at which he had listened to, but had not ventured to answer, Counsellor Webb's remarks respecting Thady Macdermot and the supposed intimacy between Ussher and the inmates of Brown Hall. He had so openly expressed his wish that the young man might be capitally punished--and this joined to the fact that Ussher had not been as intimate at any other house as he had been at Brown Hall, could leave no doubt on the mind of any one who had been present, that Webb's allusion had been intended for him. His first impulse was to challenge his foe at once; but his ardour on that point soon cooled a little, and he came to the conclusion of sleeping on the matter, or, at any rate, of drinking a bottle or two of wine over it with his sons. As soon as the servant had withdrawn after dinner he began his grievance. "By G----d, Fred, that ruffian Webb is passing all bounds. He's not only forgotten the opinions and notions of a gentleman, but he has lain down the manners of one too." "Why, what has he done now? With all his queer ideas, Webb can be a gentleman if he pleases," said Fred. "I must say," said George, "the Counsellor is a good fellow on the course. I don't care how seldom I see him anywhere else." "I don't know what you may call being a good fellow or a gentleman," replied the father; "but I know he has insulted me publicly, and that in the most gross way, and before half the country. I don't know whether that's your idea of acting like a gentleman or a good fellow." "It's what many a gentleman and many a good fellow has done before him," said George; "but if he has insulted you, of course he must apologize--or do the other thing." "What--let it alone?" rejoined Fred. "No; fight--and that's what he's a deal the most likely to do," said George. "Be d----d," said old Brown, "but I think both of you seem glad to hear that your father has been insulted! you've neither of you a grain of proper feeling." "It's with a grain or two of gunpowder, I'd take it," said George, "and I'd advise you, father, to do the same; a precious deal better thing than good feeling to settle an insult with." "But you've not told us what it's all about?" said Fred; "what was the quarrel about?" "Quarrel! there was no quarrel at all in the matter--I couldn't quarrel with him for I wouldn't speak to him. It was about that infernal friend of yours, Fred, that Ussher; I wish he'd never darkened this door." "Poor devil!" answered Fred; "there's no use abusing him now he's dead. I suppose the row wasn't his fault."