“Mrs Sullivan!  My dear sir, what scene?  I certainly paid every attention due to a very pretty woman; but I recollect no further.”

“Not the scene in the drawing-room?”

“God bless me!—­No—­I do not even recollect ever going into the drawing-room!  Pray tell me what I said or did:  I hope nothing improper.”

“Why, that depends very much whether the lady likes it or not; but in the presence of so many people—­”

“Merciful powers!  Captain Carrington, pray let me know at once what folly it was that I committed.”

“Why, really, I am almost ashamed to enter into particulars:  suffice to say, that you used most unwarrantable freedom towards her.”

“Is it possible?” cried the colonel.  “Now, Captain Carrington, are you not joking?”

“Ask this gentleman; he was present.”

The assertion of the captain was immediately corroborated, and the colonel was quite aghast.

“Excuse me, gentlemen, I will run immediately—­that abominable wine.  I must go and make a most ample apology.  I am bound to do it, as a gentleman, as an officer, and as a man of honour.”

Captain Carrington and his confederate quitted the room, satisfied with the success of their plot.  The colonel rose, and soon afterwards made his appearance.  He swallowed a cup of coffee, and then proceeded on his visit, to make the amende honorable.

When Mr Sullivan awoke from the lethargy produced from the stupefying effects of the wine, he tried to recollect the circumstances of the preceding evening; but he could trace no further than to the end of the dinner, after which his senses had been overpowered.  All that he could call to memory was, that somebody had paid great attention to his wife, and that what had passed afterwards was unknown.  This occasioned him to rise in a very jealous humour; and he had not been up more than an hour, when the colonel sent up his card, requesting, as a particular favour, that the lady would admit him.

The card and message were taken by the servant to Mr Sullivan, whose jealousy was again roused by the circumstance; and wishing to know if the person who had now called was the same who had been so attentive to his wife on the preceding evening, and the motives of the call, he requested that the colonel might be shown in, without acquainting his wife, whom he had not yet seen, with his arrival.  The colonel, who intended to have made an apology to the lady without the presence of a third person, least of all of her husband, ascended the stairs, adjusting his hair and cravat, and prepared with all the penitent assurance and complimentary excuses of a too ardent lover.  The fact was, that, although the colonel had expressed to Captain Carrington his regret and distress at the circumstance, yet, as an old Adonis, he was rather proud of this instance of juvenile indiscretion.  When, therefore, he entered the room, and perceived, instead of the lady, Mr Sullivan, raised up to his utmost height, and looking anything but good-humoured, he naturally started back, and stammered out something which was unintelligible.  His behaviour did not allay the suspicions of Mr Sullivan, who requested, in a haughty tone, to be informed of the reason why he had been honoured with a visit.  The colonel became more confused, and totally losing his presence of mind, replied:—­