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"No; but before I go on," said Stryver, shaking his head in his

bullying way, "I'll have this out with you. You've been at Doctor

Manette's house as much as I have, or more than I have. Why, I

have been ashamed of your moroseness there! Your manners have

been of that silent and sullen and hangdog kind, that, upon my

life and soul, I have been ashamed of you, Sydney!"

"It should be very beneficial to a man in your practice at the

bar, to be ashamed of anything," returned Sydney; "you ought to

be much obliged to me."

"You shall not get off in that way," rejoined Stryver,

shouldering the rejoinder at him; "no, Sydney, it's my duty to

tell you--and I tell you to your face to do you good--that you

are a devilish ill-conditioned fellow in that sort of society.

You are a disagreeable fellow."

Sydney drank a bumper of the punch he had made, and laughed.