Part 37 (1/2)
”Load his pistol directly,” said his lords.h.i.+p, sternly; ”and behave like a gentleman.”
”My lord! my lord! but where shall I stand to be safe?”
”Behind me!”
The commander of division advanced reluctantly for Gatty's pistol.
”No, my lord!” said Gatty, ”it is plain I am not a fit antagonist; I shall but expose myself--and my mother has separated us; I have lost her--if you do not win her some worse man may; but, oh! if you are a man, use her tenderly.”
”Whom?”
”Christie Johnstone! Oh, sir, do not make her regret me too much! She was my treasure, my consolation--she was to be my wife, she would have cheered the road of life--it is a desert now. I loved her--I--I--”
Here the poor fellow choked.
Lord Ipsden turned round, and threw his pistol to Saunders, saying, ”Catch that, Saunders.”
Saunders, on the contrary, by a single motion changed his person from a vertical straight line to a horizontal line exactly parallel with the earth's surface, and the weapon sang innoxious over him.
His lords.h.i.+p then, with a n.o.ble defiance of etiquette, walked up to his antagonist and gave him his hand, with a motion no one could resist; for he felt for the poor fellow.
”It is all a mistake,” said he. ”There is no sentiment between La Johnstone and me but mutual esteem. I will explain the whole thing. _I_ admire _her_ for her virtue, her wit, her innocence, her goodness and all that sort of thing; and _she,_ what _she_ sees in _me,_ I am sure I don't know,” added he, slightly shrugging his aristocratic shoulders.
”Do me the honor to breakfast with me at Newhaven.”
”I have ordered twelve sorts of fish at the 'Peac.o.c.k,' my lord,” said Saunders.
”Divine! (I hate fish) I told Saunders all would be hungry and none shot; by the by, you are winged, I think you said, Saunders?”
”No, my lord! but look at my trousers.”
The bullet had cut his pantaloons.
”I see--only barked; so go and see about our breakfast.”
”Yes, my lord” _(faintly)._
”And draw on me for fifty pounds' worth of--new trousers.”
”Yes, my lord” _(sonorously)._
The duelists separated, Gatty taking the short cut to Newhaven; he proposed to take his favorite swim there, to refresh himself before breakfast; and he went from his lords.h.i.+p a little cheered by remarks which fell from him, and which, though vague, sounded friendly--poor fellow, except when he had a brush in hand he was a dreamer.
This viscount, who did not seem to trouble his head about cla.s.s dignity, was to convert his mother from her aristocratic tendencies or something.
_Que sais-je?_ what will not a dreamer hope?
Lord Ipsden strolled along the sands, and judge his surprise, when, attended by two footmen, he met at that time in the morning Lady Barbara Sinclair.
Lord Ipsden had been so disheartened and piqued by this lady's conduct that for a whole week he had not been near her. This line of behavior sometimes answers.