"I suppose," after a slight pause remarked Augustus, with apparently
perfect indifference, "you are aware that there was a rival in the field?"
"Oh! ah! did hear of a fellow," responded Julius, with equal
_insouciance_, "but the idea of any other man carrying off the prize,
perfectly ridiculous!"
"Oh! absolutely ludicrous, 'pon my soul! Ha! ha! ha!"
"It is astonishing the confounded vanity of some people!"
"And their preposterous obtuseness! why, a man with half an eye might see
the folly of such presumption."
"To be sure, stupid dolt!"
"Impudent puppy!"
"Conceited fool!"
"The fellow must be out of his senses!"
"Yes, a horsewhipping perhaps might bring him to!"
"Ay, or a good kicking might be salutary!"
The unanimity of the rival candidates produced, as might be supposed from
their ignorance of the pretensions of each other, a feeling of mutual
satisfaction and friendship, which, after a volley of anathemas had been
fired by each gentleman against his rival, in absolute unconsciousness of
his presence, ultimately displayed itself by each of them rising from his
chair, and shaking the other most energetically by the hand.
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