Stories with a Vengeance — page 88: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

S4 YEARS AGO. morning to be sufficiently advanced for him to go and inquire concerning the state of the poor wounded girl. He had been bitterly reproaching himself for not in- sisting upon being allowed to accompany her home; but the action of the doctor was peremptory, and, in the excitement of the 'time, his orders had been implicitly obeyed. I closed my eyes while he was pacing the room, and I suppose I must have fallen into a short stupor-like sleep ; for, upon looking around once more, I found that the sun’s rays were streaming through the green jalousies, and that I was alone. I rose from the bed, feeling weak, parched with thirst, and with considerable pain in my shoulder; when, finishing my dressing as well as my wounded arm would allow, I sat down by the window, took a book, and tried to read; but my head soon drooped, and I slept again. Once more opening my eyes, I found Harding by my side. “She’s very bad,” he said, hurriedly. “The old black servant, her nurse, is ter- ribly enraged with Canville, and says that she is quite delirious; but the doctor tells me that, though disfigured, she is in no danger. But this is not the worst of it: that scoundrel of a cousin has sent me a challenge, and I have accepted it.” “ What !—a duel ?” I exclaimed. “Yes,” he said, grimly; “a duel. Of course, I don’t lke it, and feel a bit ' cowardly,” he continued, with a half-laugh; “but, as an English officer and a gentle- man, I felt compelled to agree to go out with him. If I had not, it would have been like bringing dishonour upon the flag; while now that I have, I suppose, if it gets wind on board, the skipper will try all he knows to put a stop to it. But we must keep it quiet; for really I can’t help feeling towards the fellow as if he were some wild beast, after the injury he has done that poor girl, even though it was not inten- tional. I don’t want to shoot him, and have his blood upon my conscience all my life, besides shutting myself out from ever see- ing Manette again. But it seems that if I don’t shoot him, he will me; and I need hardly say that such a proceeding does not at all suit my views. Ah, well!” he sighed, “* laissez aller, as they say here. To-morrow morning will decide ; and now, who is to be my second P”’ bY: if it must come to that, I will,” I said. “ What, with that damaged fin?” ex- claimed Phil, laughing. ‘“ No,my boy, that won’t do; while, if we venture our confi- dences on board the frigate, we may depend Google open there soon being a corporal and a file of marines to convey us on board, and then good-bye to all farther liberty.” “But then there would be no further duel,” said I. “While I should be stigmatized before Manette as a coward and a cur!” said Harding. ‘‘ But life is life,” I ventured to observe. “T don’t know, my dear boy, that it would be, without anette,” he said. ** And, besides, I know what would follow. I should be sneaking away, so as to leave the coast clear for that ill-looking scoun- drel! No, my boy; shoot me first, say I, now; and I don’t think I shall alter my opinion when it comes to the point.” The difficulties of obtaining a second were at length overcome by the selection of a young creole officer in the United States’ army, whom we had several times met, and who expressed his complete willingness to aid to the kest of his power, but joined with me strongly in my suggestions for a com- promise. But Phil was determined, and at every remark upon the subject declared that nothing should prevent him from keeping to his part of the compact; so that more than once I was strongly tempted to send a message on board, giving, anonymously, a broad hint as to what was in the wind; Cat sundry ideas concerning honour stayed me, and with an aching heart I let matters take their course. The time, too, was short for considera- tion; or the prospect of something occur- ring to hinder the meeting; and I had to hear and see all the preparations entered into by Phil’s second, who eagerly dis- played his zeal. The opposing second was seen; the exact hour and place arranged ; all other preliminaries adjusted. And now nothing remained but to wait with what patience we might the lapse of time. IIT. HarpinG had thoroughly gained over one of the servants at Mr. Canville’s villa—the old black nurse, who had brought up Manette from a child; and, as my mess- mate told me, the old woman, in her broken English intermingled with French, was vowing all sorts of vengeance against Can- ville fils, for the injury he had done her child. She hated him most fervently, and had hailed the handsome young lover of her darling as one worthy of the treasure he sought; while, seeing the gratification it afforded her foster-child, she had aided their meetings in every possible way. But when Manette was taken home wounded, her rage knew no bounds; and JOO a Ss > a S CO)