“Well, Sir, if you come to that,” responded Mr. Winkle, “how dare you look me in the face, and call me a serpent, sir?”

“Because you are one,” replied Mr. Pott.

“Prove it, Sir,” said Mr. Winkle warmly. “Prove it.”

A malignant scowl passed over the profound face of the editor, as he drew from his pocket the Independent of that morning; and laying his finger on a particular paragraph, threw the journal across the table to Mr. Winkle.

That gentleman took it up, and read as follows:⁠—