’HOLLOA，master!canyoutelluswherethefightislikelytobe？’
　　Suchwerethewordsshoutedouttomebyashortthickfellow，inbrowntop-boots，andbareheaded，whostood，withhishandsinhispockets，atthedoorofacountryalehouseasIwaspassingby。
　　Now，asIknewnothingaboutthefight，andastheappearanceofthemandidnottemptmegreatlytoenterintoconversationwithhim，Imerelyansweredinthenegative，andcontinuedmyway。
　　ItwasafinelovelymorninginMay，thesunshonebrightabove，andthebirdswerecarollinginthehedgerows。Iwaswonttobecheerfulatsuchseasons，for，frommyearliestrecollection，sunshineandthesongofbirdshavebeendeartome；yet，aboutthatperiod，Iwasnotcheerful，mymindwasnotatrest；Iwasdebatingwithinmyself，andthedebatewasdrearyandunsatisfactoryenough。Isighed，andturningmyeyesupward，I
　　ejaculated，’Whatistruth？’
　　Butsuddenly，byaviolenteffortbreakingawayfrommymeditations，Ihastenedforward；onemile，twomiles，threemileswerespeedilyleftbehind；andnowIcametoagroveofbirchandothertrees，andopeningagateIpassedupakindofavenue，andsoonarrivingbeforealargebrickhouse，ofratherantiqueappearance，knockedatthedoor。
　　InthishousetherelivedagentlemanwithwhomIhadbusiness。HewassaidtobeagenuineoldEnglishgentleman，andamanofconsiderableproperty；atthistime，however，hewantedathousandpounds，asgentlemenofconsiderablepropertyeverynowandthendo。Ihadbroughthimathousandpoundsinmypocket，foritisastonishinghowmanyeagerhelperstherichfind，andwithwhatcompassionpeoplelookupontheirdistresses。Hewassaidtohavegoodwineinhiscellar。
　　’Isyourmasterathome？’saidI，toaservantwhoappearedatthedoor。
　　’Hisworshipisathome，youngman，’saidtheservant，ashelookedatmyshoes，whichboreevidencethatIhadcomewalking。’Ibegyourpardon，sir，’headded，ashelookedmeintheface。
　　’Ay，ay，servants，’thoughtI，asIfollowedthemanintothehouse，’alwayslookpeopleinthefacewhenyouopenthedoor，anddosobeforeyoulookattheirshoes，oryoumaymistaketheheirofaPrimeMinisterforashopkeeper’sson。’
　　Ifoundhisworshipajolly，red-facedgentleman，ofaboutfifty-
　　five；hewasdressedinagreencoat，whitecorduroybreeches，anddrabgaiters，andsatonanold-fashionedleathersofa，withtwosmall，thoroughbred，blackEnglishterriers，oneoneachsideofhim。HehadalltheappearanceofagenuineoldEnglishgentlemanwhokeptgoodwineinhiscellar。
　　’Sir，’saidI，’Ihavebroughtyouathousandpounds’；andIsaidthisaftertheservanthadretired，andthetwoterriershadceasedthebarkingwhichisnaturaltoallsuchdogsatthesightofastranger。
　　Andwhenthemagistratehadreceivedthemoney，andsignedandreturnedacertainpaperwhichIhandedtohim，herubbedhishands，andlookingverybenignantlyatme，exclaimed-
　　’Andnow，younggentleman，thatourbusinessisover，perhapsyoucantellmewherethefightistotakeplace？’
　　’Iamsorry，sir，’saidI，’thatIcan’tinformyou，buteverybodyseemstobeanxiousaboutit’；andthenItoldhimwhathadoccurredtomeontheroadwiththealehouse-keeper。
　　’Iknowhim，’saidhisworship；’he’satenantofmine，andagoodfellow，somewhattoomuchinmydebtthough。Buthowisthis，younggentleman，youlookasifyouhadbeenwalking；youdidnotcomeonfoot？’
　　’Yes，sir，Icameonfoot。’
　　’Onfoot!whyitissixteenmiles。’
　　’Ishan’tbetiredwhenIhavewalkedback。’
　　’Youcan’tride，Isuppose？’
　　’BetterthanIcanwalk。’
　　’Thenwhydoyouwalk？’
　　’Ihavefrequentlytomakejourneysconnectedwithmyprofession；
　　sometimesIwalk，sometimesIride，justasthewhimtakesme。’
　　’Willyoutakeaglassofwine？’
　　’Yes。’
　　’That’sright；whatshallitbe？’
　　’Madeira!’
　　Themagistrategaveaviolentslaponhisknee；’Ilikeyourtaste，’saidhe，’IamfondofaglassofMadeiramyself，andcangiveyousuchaoneasyouwillnotdrinkeveryday；sitdown，younggentleman，youshallhaveaglassofMadeira，andthebestI
　　have。’
　　Thereuponhegotup，and，followedbyhistwoterriers，walkedslowlyoutoftheroom。
　　Ilookedroundtheroom，and，seeingnothingwhichpromisedmemuchamusement，Isatdown，andfellagainintomyformertrainofthought。’Whatistruth？’saidI。
　　’Hereitis，’saidthemagistrate，returningattheendofaquarterofanhour，followedbytheservantwithatray；’here’sthetruething，orIamnojudge，farlessajustice。IthasbeenthirtyyearsinmycellarlastChristmas。There，’saidhetotheservant，’putitdown，andleavemyyoungfriendandmetoourselves。Now，whatdoyouthinkofit？’
　　’Itisverygood，’saidI。
　　’DidyouevertastebetterMadeira？’
　　’IneverbeforetastedMadeira。’
　　’Thenyouaskforawinewithoutknowingwhatitis？’
　　’Iaskforit，sir，thatImayknowwhatitis。’
　　’Well，thereislogicinthat，asParrwouldsay；youhaveheardofParr？’
　　’OldParr？’
　　’Yes，oldParr，butnotthatParr；youmeantheEnglish，ItheGreekParr，aspeoplecallhim。’
　　’Idon’tknowhim。’
　　’Perhapsnot-rathertooyoungforthat，butwereyouofmyage，youmighthavecausetoknowhim，comingfromwhereyoudo。Hekeptschoolthere，Iwashisfirstscholar；hefloggedGreekintometillIlovedhim-andhelovedme：hecametoseemelastyear，andsatinthatchair；IhonourParr-heknowsmuch，andisasoundman。’
　　’Doesheknowthetruth？’
　　’Knowthetruth!heknowswhat’sgood，fromanoystertoanostrich-he’snotonlysound，butround。’
　　’Supposewedrinkhishealth？’
　　’Thankyou，boy：here’sParr’shealth，andWhiter’s。’
　　’WhoisWhiter？’
　　’Don’tyouknowWhiter？IthoughteverybodyknewReverendWhiterthephilologist，thoughIsupposeyouscarcelyknowwhatthatmeans。Amanfondoftonguesandlanguages，quiteoutofyourway-heunderstandssometwenty；whatdoyousaytothat？’
　　’Isheasoundman？’
　　’Why，astothat，Iscarcelyknowwhattosay：hehasgotqueernotionsinhishead-wroteabooktoprovethatallwordscameoriginallyfromtheearth-whoknows？Wordshaveroots，androotsliveintheearth；but，uponthewhole，Ishouldnotcallhimaltogetherasoundman，thoughhecantalkGreeknearlyasfastasParr。’
　　’Ishearoundman？’
　　’Ay，boy，rounderthanParr；I’llsingyouasong，ifyoulike，whichwillletyouintohischaracter：-
　　’Givemethehaunchofabucktoeat，andtodrinkMadeiraold，Andagentlewifetorestwith，andinmyarmstofold，AnArabicbooktostudy，aNorfolkcobtoride，Andahousetoliveinshadedwithtrees，andneartoariverside；
　　Withsuchgoodthingsaroundme，andblessedwithgoodhealthwithal，ThoughIshouldliveforahundredyears，fordeathIwouldnotcall。
　　Here’stoWhiter’shealth-soyouknownothingaboutthefight？’
　　’No，sir；thetruthis，thatoflateIhavebeenverymuchoccupiedwithvariousmatters，otherwiseIshould，perhaps，havebeenabletoaffordyousomeinformation-boxingisanobleart。’
　　’Canyoubox？’
　　’Alittle。’
　　’Itellyouwhat，myboy；Ihonouryou，andprovidedyoureducationhadbeenalittlelesslimited，IshouldhavebeengladtoseeyouhereincompanywithParrandWhiter；bothcanbox。Boxingis，asyousay，anobleart-atrulyEnglishart；mayIneverseethedaywhenEnglishmenshallfeelashamedofit，orblacklegsandblackguardsbringitintodisgrace。Iamamagistrate，and，ofcourse，cannotpatronisethethingveryopenly，yetIsometimesseeaprizefight：IsawtheGameChickenbeatGulley。’
　　’DidyoueverseeBigBen？’
　　’No；whydoyouask？’Buthereweheardanoise，likethatofagigdrivinguptothedoor，whichwasimmediatelysucceededbyaviolentknockingandringing，andafteralittletimetheservantwhohadadmittedmemadehisappearanceintheroom。’Sir，’saidhe，withacertaineagernessofmanner，’herearetwogentlemenwaitingtospeaktoyou。’
　　’Gentlemenwaitingtospeaktome!whoarethey？’
　　’Idon’tknow，sir，’saidtheservant；’buttheylooklikesportinggentlemen，and-and’-herehehesitated；’fromawordortwotheydropped，Ialmostthinkthattheycomeaboutthefight。’
　　’Aboutthefight!’saidthemagistrate。’No；thatcanhardlybe；
　　however，youhadbettershowthemin。’
　　Heavystepswerenowheardascendingthestairs，andtheservantusheredtwomenintotheapartment。Againtherewasabarking，butlouderthanthatwhichhadbeendirectedagainstmyself，forhereweretwointruders；bothofthemwereremarkable-lookingmen，buttotheforemostofthemthemostparticularnoticemaywellbeaccorded：hewasamansomewhatunderthirty，andnearlysixfeetinheight。Hewasdressedinabluecoat，whitecorduroybreeches，fastenedbelowthekneewithsmallgoldenbuttons；onhislegsheworewhitelamb’s-woolstockings，andonhisfeetshoesreachingtotheankles；roundhisneckwasahandkerchiefoftheblueandbird’seyepattern；heworeneitherwhiskersnormoustaches，andappearednottodelightinhair，thatofhishead，whichwasofalightbrown，beingcloselycropped；theforeheadwasratherhigh，butsomewhatnarrow；thefaceneitherbroadnorsharp，perhapsrathersharpthanbroad；thenosewasalmostdelicate；theeyesweregray，withanexpressioninwhichtherewassternnessblendedwithsomethingapproachingtofeline；hiscomplexionwasexceedinglypale，relieved，however，bycertainpock-marks，whichhereandtherestuddedhiscountenance；hisformwasathletic，butlean；hisarmslong。Inthewholeappearanceofthemantherewasablendingofthebluffandthesharp。Youmighthavesupposedhimabruiser；hisdresswasthatofoneinallitsminutiae；somethingwaswanting，however，inhismanner-thequietnessoftheprofessionalman；heratherlookedlikeoneperformingthepart-