"He's an impudent idle good-for-nothing scoundrel, and I hope to see
him hanged!" shouted Mr. Hayes. "And pray, madam, whose carriage
was that as you came home in? I warrant you paid something for the
ride--ha, ha!"
"Another lie!" screamed Cat, and clutched hold of a supper-knife.
"Say it again, John Hayes, and, by ------ I'll do for you."
"Do for me? Hang me," said Mr. Hayes, flourishing a stick, and
perfectly pot-valiant, "do you think I care for a bastard and a--?"
He did not finish the sentence, for the woman ran at him like a
savage, knife in hand. He bounded back, flinging his arms about
wildly, and struck her with his staff sharply across the forehead.
The woman went down instantly. A lucky blow was it for Hayes and
her: it saved him from death, perhaps, and her from murder.
All this scene--a very important one of our drama--might have been
described at much greater length; but, in truth, the author has a
natural horror of dwelling too long upon such hideous spectacles:
nor would the reader be much edified by a full and accurate
knowledge of what took place. The quarrel, however, though not more
violent than many that had previously taken place between Hayes and
his wife, was about to cause vast changes in the condition of this
unhappy pair.
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