Part 40 (1/2)

”Well, doctor, so that my honour is saved, I am content to obey you-- it's very odd--” Here the captain was exhausted, and was silent, and in a few minutes he was again asleep, and remained slumbering till the next morning, when he was much better. He then entered into conversation with the surgeon, making him describe the duel; and the latter did so, so as to satisfy the captain; and he also informed him that I had been taken ill with the fever, and was in the next room.

”Next room!” replied the captain: ”why was he not sent on board? Are all the mids.h.i.+pmen who are taken ill to be brought to my house to be cured?”

I overheard this reply of the captain, and it cut me to the heart. I felt what an invincible pride had to be conquered before I could obtain my wishes.

The surgeon answered Captain Delmar,--”As only you and Mr Keene were taken with the fever, I thought it better that he should remain here, than that the s.h.i.+p's company should take it by his being sent on board.

I trust, Captain Delmar, I have done right?”

”Yes, I see,” replied the captain; ”you did perfectly right--I did not think of that. I hope Mr Keene is doing well?”

”I trust that we shall get him through it, sir,” replied the surgeon.

”Pray let him have anything that he requires, Mr ---; let him want for nothing during his illness and convalescence. He would be a heavy loss to the service,” added the captain.

”He would, indeed, sir,” replied the surgeon.

”Here are the journals of St. Pierre, in which there are several accounts of the duel, most of them incorrect. Some say that you were twice wounded, others once.”

”I dare say they thought so,” replied the captain, ”for Cross tells me that I was carried home. It's very singular that I should have fought in such a condition. Thank you, Mr ---; I will read them when I have lain down a little, for I am tired again already.”

The surgeon then informed the captain of the death of Captain W.

”Poor fellow!” replied Captain Delmar. ”Well, I will not make any appointments until I am better.” The captain then lay down again, leaving the newspapers on the coverlet.

A week now pa.s.sed, during which both the captain and I became nearly convalescent: we had both been out of bed, and had remained for a few hours on the sofas in our respective rooms. The surgeon told me that it would be necessary to tell him the truth very soon, and that he thought he would do so on the following day. It did, however, happen that the discovery was not made to him by the surgeon. In the afternoon, when the latter was on board, Captain Delmar felt so strong that he resolved to put on his clothes, and go into the sitting-room. He desired Cross to give them to him, and the first articles handed to him were his trowsers, and Bob quite forgot that I had worn them.

”Why, how's this?” said the captain--”here's a hole through the waistband, and they are b.l.o.o.d.y.”

Bob was so frightened, that he walked out of the room as if he had not heard what the captain had said. It appears that the captain took up his coat, and discovered another hole in the shoulder, with the same marks of blood.

”This is quite a dream,” said the captain, talking to himself--”I've no wound, and yet the newspapers say that I was wounded twice. Cross!

Cross!--Where is Cross?”

Bob, who had taken refuge in my room, where we overheard everything he said, whispered, ”It's no use now, Mr Keene,--I must tell it all; never fear me, I know how to do it.” And then he obeyed the captain's summons, leaving me in a state of great nervous anxiety.

”Cross,” said the captain sternly, ”I insist upon knowing the truth: I have been deceived by my officers. Did I, or did I not, fight this duel?”

”Well, sir,” replied Cross, ”the truth was only kept back from you till you were quite well again, and I suppose I must tell it to you now. You were too ill, and you raved about our honour, and that you were disgraced, and that--”

”Well, go on, sir.”

”I will, Captain Delmar; but I hope you'll not be angry, sir. Mr Keene could not bear to see you in that way, and he said he would lay down his life for you at any time, and he begged Mr Smith, the master, to allow him to fight the duel, because he said that he was so like you in person (which, somehow or other he is, that's certain), that no one would know it was him if he put on your honour's wig and uniform: that's how it was, sir.”

”Go on,” said the captain.

”Well, sir, the master could not bear the sneering of the sogers on sh.o.r.e, and he consented that Mr Keene should take your place, which he did, sir; and I hope you will not be angry with Mr Keene, for it's your old coat, sir, and I think it may have a piece let in, that it won't be seen.”

Cross then went on describing the whole affair--of course praising me-- and told the captain that everybody on board, as well as on sh.o.r.e, thought that he was wounded and that I had been taken with the yellow fever, and that n.o.body knew the real truth except the master, the surgeon, and himself.

”Is Mr Keene seriously hurt?” inquired the captain, after a pause.