Part 31 (1/2)
”Now, lad, what in the name of heaven--” he began, in the most gentle, indulgent manner, as we stood alone in the pa.s.sage.
”For G.o.d's sake,” I blurted irritably, ”be like your countrymen in there: be sneering, resentful, supercilious! Don't be so cursed amiable--don't make it so hard for me to do this!”
”I supercilious! And to thee, lad!” he replied, with a reproachful smile.
”Show your inward self, then. I know how selfish you are, how unscrupulous! You like people for their good company, and their admiration of you, their attachment to you. But you would trample over any one, without a qualm, to get at your own pleasure or enrichment, or to gratify your vanity.”
He meditated for a moment upon my words. Then he said, good-naturedly:
”Why, you hit me off to perfection, I think. And yet, my liking for some people is real, too. I would do much for those I like--if it cost not too many pains, and required no sacrifice of pleasure. For you, indeed, I would do a great deal, upon my honour!”
”Then do this,” quoth I, fighting against the ingratiating charm he exercised. ”Grant me a meeting--swords or pistols, I don't care which--and the sooner the better.”
”But why? At least I may know the cause.”
”The blight you have brought on those I love--but that's a cause must be kept secret between us.”
”Must I fight twice on the same score, then?”
”Why not? You fared well enough the first time. Tom fought on his family's behalf. I fight on behalf of my friend--Captain Winwood.
Besides, haven't I given you cause to-night, before your friends in there? If I was in the wrong there, so much the greater my offence.
Come--will you take up the quarrel as it is? Or must I give new provocation?”
He sighed like a man who finds himself drawn into a business he would have considerately avoided.
”Well, well,” said he, ”I can refuse you nothing. We can manage the affair as we did the other, I fancy. It must be a secret, of course--even from my friends in there. I shall tell them we have settled our difference, and let them imagine what they please to. I'll send some one to you--that arrangement will give you the choice of weapons.”
”'Tis indifferent to me.”
”To me also. But I prefer you should have that privilege. I entreat you will choose the weapons you are best at.”
”Thank you. I shall expect to hear from you, then. Good-night!”
”Good-night! 'Tis a foggy evening. I wish you might come in and warm yourself with a gla.s.s before you go; but of course--well, good-night!”
I went out into the damp darkness, thanking heaven the matter was settled beyond undoing; and marvelling that exceptional, favoured people should exist, who, thanks to some happy combination of superficial graces, remain irresistibly likable despite all exposure of the selfish vices they possess at heart.
But if my prospective opponent was one who could not be faced antagonistically without a severe effort, the second whom he chose was one against whose side I could fight with the utmost readiness, thanks to the irritating power he possessed upon me. He was Lieutenant Chubb, whom I had worsted in the affair to which I have alluded earlier, which grew out of his a.s.sumption of superiority to us who were of American birth. I had subjected this c.o.c.k to such deference in my presence, that he now rejoiced at what promised to be my defeat, and his revenge by proxy, so great reliance he placed upon Captain Falconer's skill with either sword or pistol. I chose the latter weapon, however, without much perturbation, inwardly resolved that the gloating Chubb should so far fail of his triumph, as to suffer a second humiliation in the defeat of his princ.i.p.al. For my own second, Lieutenant Berrian, of our brigade, did me the honour to go out with me. A young New York surgeon, Doctor Williams, obliged us by a.s.suming the risk which it would have been too much to ask Doctor McLaughlin to undertake a second time. At my desire, the place and hour set were those at which Tom Faringfield had met his death. I felt that the memory of his dying face would be strongest, there and then, to make my arm and sight quick and sure.
A thaw had carried away much of the snow, and hence we had it not as light as it had been for Tom's duel; although the moon made our outlines and features perfectly distinct as we a.s.sembled in the hollow, and it would make our pistol-barrels s.h.i.+ne brightly enough when the time came, as I ascertained by taking aim at an imaginary mark.
Falconer and I stood each alone, while the seconds stepped off the paces and the surgeon lighted a small lantern which might enable him to throw, upon a possible wound, rays more to the purpose than the moon afforded. I was less agitated, I think, than the doctor himself, who was new to such an affair. I kept my mind upon the change wrought in the Faringfield household, upon the fate of Tom, upon what I imagined would be Philip's feelings; and I had a thought, too, for the disappointment of my old enemy Chubb if I could cap the firing signal with a shot the fraction of a second before my antagonist could. We were to stand with our backs toward each other, at the full distance, and, upon the word, might turn and fire as soon as possible. To be the first in wheeling round upon a heel, and covering the foe, was my one concern, and, as I took my place, I dismissed all else from my mind, to devote my entire self, bodily and mental, to that one series of movements: all else but one single impression, and that was of malicious exultation upon the face of Chubb.
”You'll smile on t'other side of your face in a minute,” thought I, pressing my teeth together.
I was giving my hand its final adjustment to the pistol, when suddenly a man dashed out of the covert at one side of the hollow, and ran toward us, calling out in a gruff voice:
”Hold on a minute. Here's su'thin' fur you, Ensign Russell.”