Part 9 (2/2)
”Come, Somers, that's rather a grave charge; and, if it came from any other man than yourself, I should challenge him on the spot,” added the captain, throwing back his head, and looking dignified enough to be the commander-in-chief.
”You may challenge me if you please; but let us be serious for a moment.”
”I am serious, and have been all the time.”
”You are a first-rate fellow, captain; I like you almost as well as I do my own brother.”
”You are a sensible young man, Somers,” replied De Banyan, slightly relaxing the rigid muscles of his face.
”You are a brave man, and as brilliant as you are brave. I have only one fault to find with you.”
”What's that?”
”You will draw the long-bow.”
”In other words, I will lie. Somers, you hurt my feelings. I took a fancy to you the first time I ever saw you, and it pains me to hear you talk in that manner. Do you think that I, an officer and a gentleman, would stoop to the vice of lying?”
”You certainly do not expect any one to believe those wretched big stories you tell?”
”Certainly I do,” replied the captain with dignity.
”But they contradict themselves.”
”Perhaps you don't believe there ever was such an event as the battle of Magenta.”
”Come, come, my friend; just slide off that high horse.”
”Lieutenant Somers, my word has been doubted; my good faith maligned; my character for truth and veracity questioned.”
”Yes, I know all that very well; but answer me one question, captain.
Seriously and solemnly, were you at the battle of Magenta?”
”I decline to answer one who doubts my veracity. If I answered you in the affirmative, you would not believe me.”
”I don't think I should; but, if you should answer me in the negative, I should have full faith in your reply.”
”I cannot answer on those terms. Somers, I am offended. I don't know but that I am in duty bound to challenge you. Just after the battle of Magenta, I felt compelled to challenge a young officer who cast an imputation upon my word. We fought, and he fell. His brother challenged me then, and I had to put a bullet through his head. The family were Corsicans, I believe; and one after another challenged me, till they got down to fifth cousins; and I laid out fifteen of them--I think it was fifteen; I don't remember the exact number, but I could tell by referring to my diary. You are so precise and particular, that I want to give you the facts just as they are.”
”You haven't the diary with you, I suppose?”
”Of course not; I couldn't carry a volume like that around with me. I only mention this circ.u.mstance to show you the sad results which sometimes follow in the wake of a duel.”
”But I'm not a Corsican; and I don't think you need fear any such results in my case, if you should conclude to challenge me,” answered Somers with abundant good nature.
”Now, seriously and solemnly, Somers, this doubting a comrade's word is a vicious habit. It shows that you have no confidence in what I say.”
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