the queen of hearts-第27部分

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would　be　fulfilled。

CHAPTER　III。


THE　porter　who　let　me　into　the　house　where　Monkton　lived　directed
me　to　the　floor　on　which　his　rooms　were　situated。　On　getting
upstairs；　I　found　his　door　on　the　landing　ajar。　He　heard　my
footsteps；　I　suppose；　for　he　called　to　me　to　come　in　before　I
could　knock。

I　entered；　and　found　him　sitting　by　the　table；　with　some　loose
letters　in　his　hand；　which　he　was　just　tying　together　into　a
packet。　I　noticed；　as　he　asked　me　to　sit　down；　that　his　express
ion　looked　more　composed；　though　the　paleness　had　not　yet　left
his　face。　He　thanked　me　for　coming；　repeated　that　he　had
something　very　important　to　say　to　me；　and　then　stopped　short；
apparently　too　much　embarrassed　to　proceed。　I　tried　to　set　him　at
his　ease　by　assuring　him　that；　if　my　assistance　or　advice　could
be　of　any　use；　I　was　ready　to　place　myself　and　my　time　heartily
and　unreservedly　at　his　service。

As　I　said　this　I　saw　his　eyes　beginning　to　wander　away　from　my
faceto　wander　slowly；　inch　by　inch；　as　it　were；　until　they
stopped　at　a　certain　point；　with　the　same　fixed　stare　into
vacancy　which　had　so　often　startled　me　on　former　occasions。　The
whole　expression　of　his　face　altered　as　I　had　never　yet　seen　it
alter；　he　sat　before　me　looking　like　a　man　in　a　death…trance。

〃You　are　very　kind；〃　he　said；　slowly　and　faintly；　speaking；　not
to　me；　but　in　the　direction　in　which　his　eyes　were　still　fixed。
〃I　know　you　can　help　me；　but〃

He　stopped；　his　face　whitened　horribly；　and　the　perspiration
broke　out　all　over　it。　He　tried　to　continuesaid　a　word　or
twothen　stopped　again。　Seriously　alarmed　about　him；　I　rose　from
my　chair　with　the　intention　of　getting　him　some　water　from　a　jug
which　I　saw　standing　on　a　side…table。

He　sprang　up　at　the　same　moment。　All　the　suspicions　I　had　ever
heard　whispered　against　his　sanity　flashed　over　my　mind　in　an
instant；　and　I　involuntarily　stepped　back　a　pace　or　two。

〃Stop；〃　he　said；　seating　himself　again；　〃don't　mind　me；　and　don't
leave　your　chair。　I　wantI　wish；　if　you　please；　to　make　a　little
alteration；　before　we　say　anything　more。　Do　you　mind　sitting　in　a
strong　light？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。〃

I　had　hitherto　been　seated　in　the　shade　of　his　reading…lamp；　the
only　light　in　the　room。

As　I　answered　him　he　rose　again；　and；　going　into　another
apartment；　returned　with　a　large　lamp　in　his　hand；　then　took　two
candles　from　the　side…table；　and　two　others　from　the　chimney
piece；　placed　them　all；　to　my　amazement；　together；　so　as　to　stand
exactly　between　us；　and　then　tried　to　light　them。　His　hand
trembled　so　that　he　was　obliged　to　give　up　the　attempt；　and　allow
me　to　come　to　his　assistance。　By　his　direction；　I　took　the　shade
off　the　reading…lamp　after　I　had　lit　the　other　lamp　and　the　four
candles。　When　we　sat　down　again；　with　this　concentration　of　light
between　us；　his　better　and　gentler　manner　began　to　return；　and
while　he　now　addressed　me　he　spoke　without　the　slightest
hesitation。

〃It　is　useless　to　ask　whether　you　have　heard　the　reports　about
me；〃　he　said；　〃I　know　that　you　have。　My　purpose　to…night　is　to
give　you　some　reasonable　explanation　of　the　conduct　which　has
produced　those　reports。　My　secret　has　been　hitherto　confided　to
one　person　only；　I　am　now　about　to　trust　it　to　your　keeping；　with
a　special　object　which　will　appear　as　I　go　on。　First；　however；　I
must　begin　by　telling　you　exactly　what　the　great　difficulty　is
which　obliges　me　to　be　still　absent　from　England。　I　want　your
advice　and　your　help；　and；　to　conceal　nothing　from　you；　I　want
also　to　test　your　forbearance　and　your　friendly　sympathy；　before
I　can　venture　on　thrusting　my　miserable　secret　into　your　keeping。
Will　you　pardon　this　apparent　distrust　of　your　frank　and　open
characterthis　apparent　ingratitude　for　your　kindness　toward　me
ever　since　we　first　met？〃

I　begged　him　not　to　speak　of　these　things；　but　to　go　on。

〃You　know；〃　he　proceeded；　〃that　I　am　here　to　recover　the　body　of
my　Uncle　Stephen；　and　to　carry　it　back　with　me　to　our　family
burial…place　in　England；　and　you　must　also　be　aware　that　I　have
not　yet　succeeded　in　discovering　his　remains。　Try　to　pass　over；
for　the　present；　whatever　may　seem　extraordinary　and
incomprehensible　in　such　a　purpose　as　mine　is；　and　read　this
newspaper　article　where　the　ink…line　is　traced。　It　is　the　only
evidence　hitherto　obtained　on　the　subject　of　the　fatal　duel　in
which　my　uncle　fell；　and　I　want　to　hear　what　course　of　proceeding
the　perusal　of　it　may　suggest　to　you　as　likely　to　be　best　on　my
part。〃

He　handed　me　an　old　French　newspaper。　The　substance　of　what　I
read　there　is　still　so　firmly　impressed　on　my　memory　that　I　am
certain　of　being　able　to　repeat　correctly　at　this　distance　of
time　all　the　facts　which　it　is　necessary　for　me　to　communicate　to
the　reader。

The　article　began；　I　remember；　with　editorial　remarks　on　the
great　curiosity　then　felt　in　regard　to　the　fatal　duel　between　the
Count　St。　Lo　and　Mr。　Stephen　Monkton；　an　English　gentleman。　The
writer　proceeded　to　dwell　at　great　length　on　the　extraordinary
secrecy　in　which　the　whole　affair　had　been　involved　from　first　to
last；　and　to　express　a　hope　that　the　publication　of　a　certain
manuscript；　to　which　his　introductory　observations　referred；
might　lead　to　the　production　of　fresh　evidence　from　other　and
better…informed　quarters。　The　manuscript　had　been　found　among　the
papers　of　Monsieur　Foulon；　Mr。　Monkton's　second；　who　had　died　at
Paris　of　a　rapid　decline　shortly　after　returning　to　his　home　in
that　city　from　the　scene　of　the　duel。　The　document　was
unfinished；　having　been　left　incomplete　at　the　very　place　where
the　reader　would　most　wish　to　find　it　continued。　No　reason　could
be　discovered　for　this；　and　no　second　manuscript　bearing　on　the
all…important　subject　had　been　found；　after　the　strictest　search
among　the　papers　left　by　the　deceased。

The　document　itself　then　followed。

It　purported　to　be　an　agreement　privately　drawn　up　between　Mr。
Monkton's　second；　Monsieur　Foulon；　and　the　Count　St。　Lo's　second；
Monsieur　Dalville；　and　contained　a　statement　of　all　the
arrangements　for　conducting　the　duel。　The　paper　was　dated
〃Naples；　February　22d；〃　and　was　divided　into　some　seven　or　eight
clauses。　The　first　clause　described　the　origin　and　nature　of　the
quarrela　very　disgraceful　affair　on　both　sides；　worth　neither
remembering　nor　repeating。　The　second　clause　stated　that；　the
challenged　man　having　chosen　the　pistol　as　his　weapon；　and　the
challenger　（an　excellent　swordsman）；　having；　on　his　side；
thereupon　insisted　that　the　duel　should　be　fought　in　such　a
manner　as　to　make　the　first　fire　decisive　in　its　results；　the
seconds；　seeing　that　fatal　consequences　must　inevitably　follow
the　hostile　meeting；　determined；　first　of　all；　that　the　duel
should　be　kept　a　profound　secret　from　everybody；　and　that　the
place　where　it　was　to　be　fought　should　not　be　made　known
beforehand；　even　to　the　principals　themselves。　It　was　added　that
this　excess　of　precaution　had　been　rendered　absolutely　necessary
in　consequence　of　a　recent　address　from　the　Pope　to　the　ruling
powers　in　Italy　commenting　on　the　scandalous　frequency　of　the
practice　of　dueling；　and　urgently　desiring　that　the　laws　against
duelists　should　be　enforced　for　the　future　with　the　utmost　rigor。

The　third　clause　detailed　the　manner　in　which　it　had　been
arranged　that　the　duel　should　be　fought。

The　pistols　having　been　loaded　by　the　seconds　on　the　ground；　the
combatants　were　to　be　placed　thirty　paces　apart；　and　were　to　toss
up　for　the　first　fire。　The　man　who　won　was　to　advance　ten　paces
marked　out　for　him　beforehandand　was　then　to　discharge　his
pistol。　If　he　missed；　or　failed　to　disable　his　opponent；　the
latter　was　free　to　advance；　if　he　chose；　the　whole　remaining
twenty　paces　before　he　fired　in　his　turn。　This　arrangement
insured　the　decisive　termination　of　the　duel　at　the　first
discharge　of　the　pistols；　and　both　principals　and　seconds　pledged
themselves　on　either　side　to　abide　by　it。

The　fourth　clause　stated　that　the　seconds　had　agreed　that　the
duel　should　be　fought　out　of　the　Neapolitan　States；　but　left
themselves　to　be　guided　by　circumstances　as　to　the　exact　locality
in　which　it　should　take　place。　The　remaining　clauses；　so　far　as　I
remember　them；　were　devoted　to　detailing　the　different
precautions　to　be　adopted　for　avoiding　discovery。　The　duelists
and　their　seconds　were　to　leave　Naples　in　separate　parties；　were
to　change　carriages　several　times；　were　to　meet　at　a　certain
town；　or；　failing　that；　at　a　certain　post…house　on　the　high　road
from　Naples　to　Rome；　were　to　carry　drawing…books；　color　boxes；
and　camp…stools；　as　if　they　had　been　artists　out　on　a
sketching…tour；　and　were　to　proceed　to　the　place　of　the　duel　on
foot；　employing　no　gui　des；　for　fear　of　treachery。　Such　general
arrangements　as　these；　and　others　for　facilitating　the　flight　of
the　survivors　after　the　affair　was　over；　formed　the　conclusion　of
this　extraordinary　document；　which　was　signed；　in　initials　only；
by　both　the　seconds。

Just　below　the　initials　appeared　the　beginning　of　a　narrative；
dated　〃Paris；〃　and　evidently　intended　to　describe　the　duel　itself
with　extreme　minuteness。　The　hand…writing　was　that　of　the
deceased　second。

Monsieur　Foulon；　tire　gentleman　in　question；　stated　his　belief
that　circumstances　might　transpire　which　would　render　an　account
by　an　eyewitness　of　the　hostile　meeting　between　St。　Lo　and　Mr。
Monkton　an　important　document。　He　proposed；　therefore；　as　one　of
the　seconds；　to　testify　that　the　duel　had　been　fought　in　exact
accordance　with　the　terms　of　the　agreement；　both　the　principals
conducting　themselves　like　men　of　gallantry　and　honor　（！）。　And　he
further　announced　that；　in　order　not　to　compromise　any　one；　he
should　place　the　paper　containing　his　testimony　in　safe　hands；
with　strict　directions　that　it　was　on　no　account　to　be　opened
except　in　a　case　of　the　last　emergency。

After　thus　preamble；　Monsieur　Foulon　related　that　the　duel　had
been　fought　two　days　after　the　drawing　up　of　the　agreement；　in　a
locality　to　which　accident　had　conducted　the　dueling　party。　（The
name　of　the　place　was　not　mentioned；　nor　even　the　neighborhood　in
which　it　was　situated。）　The　men　having　been　placed　according　to
previous　arra