Part 10 (2/2)

”What must we do?” said I. ”Be yourself, sir. It is too late now: you must be yourself.”

He turned and stared at me. ”Oh, Mackellar!” says he, and put his face in his hands.

I plucked him by the coat. ”For G.o.d's sake, for all our sakes, be more courageous!” said I. ”What must we do?”

He showed me his face with the same stupid stare.

”Do?” says he. And with that his eye fell on the body, and ”Oh!” he cries out, with his hand to his brow, as if he had never remembered; and, turning from me, made off towards the house of Durrisdeer at a strange stumbling run.

I stood a moment mused; then it seemed to me my duty lay most plain on the side of the living; and I ran after him, leaving the candles on the frosty ground and the body lying in their light under the trees. But run as I pleased, he had the start of me, and was got into the house, and up to the hall, where I found him standing before the fire with his face once more in his hands, and as he so stood he visibly shuddered.

”Mr. Henry, Mr. Henry,” I said, ”this will be the ruin of us all.”

”What is this that I have done?” cries he, and then looking upon me with a countenance that I shall never forget, ”Who is to tell the old man?” he said.

The word knocked at my heart; but it was no time for weakness. I went and poured him out a gla.s.s of brandy. ”Drink that,” said I, ”drink it down.” I forced him to swallow it like a child; and, being still perished with the cold of the night, I followed his example.

”It has to be told, Mackellar,” said he. ”It must be told.” And he fell suddenly in a seat-my old lord's seat by the chimney-side-and was shaken with dry sobs.

Dismay came upon my soul; it was plain there was no help in Mr. Henry. ”Well,” said I, ”sit there, and leave all to me.” And taking a candle in my hand, I set forth out of the room in the dark house. There was no movement; I must suppose that all had gone un.o.bserved; and I was now to consider how to smuggle through the rest with the like secrecy. It was no hour for scruples; and I opened my lady's door without so much as a knock, and pa.s.sed boldly in.

”There is some calamity happened,” she cried, sitting up in bed.

”Madam,” said I, ”I will go forth again into the pa.s.sage; and do you get as quickly as you can into your clothes. There is much to be done.”

She troubled me with no questions, nor did she keep me waiting. Ere I had time to prepare a word of that which I must say to her, she was on the threshold signing me to enter.

”Madam,” said I, ”if you cannot be very brave, I must go elsewhere; for if no one helps me to-night, there is an end of the house of Durrisdeer.”

”I am very courageous,” said she; and she looked at me with a sort of smile, very painful to see, but very brave too.

”It has come to a duel,” said I.

”A duel?” she repeated. ”A duel! Henry and-”

”And the Master,” said I. ”Things have been borne so long, things of which you know nothing, which you would not believe if I should tell. But to-night it went too far, and when he insulted you-”

”Stop,” said she. ”He? Who?”

”Oh! madam,” cried I, my bitterness breaking forth, ”do you ask me such a question? Indeed, then, I may go elsewhere for help; there is none here!”

”I do not know in what I have offended you,” said she. ”Forgive me; put me out of this suspense.”

But I dared not tell her yet; I felt not sure of her; and at the doubt, and under the sense of impotence it brought with it, I turned on the poor woman with something near to anger.

”Madam,” said I, ”we are speaking of two men: one of them insulted you, and you ask me which. I will help you to the answer. With one of these men you have spent all your hours: has the other reproached you? To one you have been always kind; to the other, as G.o.d sees me and judges between us two, I think not always: has his love ever failed you? To-night one of these two men told the other, in my hearing-the hearing of a hired stranger,-that you were in love with him. Before I say one word, you shall answer your own question: Which was it? Nay, madam, you shall answer me another: If it has come to this dreadful end, whose fault is it?”

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