the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第28节
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〃Sir；〃 said I； 〃I am perfectly prepared to proceed without a second。〃
〃That won't do。 It's against the law；〃 cried Lord Dacre。 〃Come；
Ned； don't be a fool。 You see we mean to fight。 Hang it； man； all I want
you to do is to drop a handkerchief。〃
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〃I'll take no part in it。〃
〃Then I must find someone who will；〃 said Lord Dacre。
He threw a cloth over the pistols which lay upon the table； and he rang
the bell。 A footman entered。 〃Ask Colonel Berkeley if he will step this
way。 You will find him in the billiard…room。〃
A moment later there entered a tall thin Englishman with a great
moustache； which was a rare thing amid that clean…shaven race。 I have
heard since that they were worn only by the Guards and the Hussars。
This Colonel Berkeley was a guardsman。 He seemed a strange； tired；
languid； drawling creature with a long black cigar thrusting out； like a pole
from a bush； amidst that immense moustache。 He looked from one to the
other of us with true English phlegm； and he betrayed not the slightest
surprise when he was told our intention。
〃Quite so；〃 said he； 〃quite so。〃
〃I refuse to act； Colonel Berkeley；〃 cried Lord Rufton。
〃Remember； this duel cannot proceed without you； and I hold you
personally responsible for anything that happens。〃
This Colonel Berkeley appeared to be an authority upon the question；
for he removed the cigar from his mouth and he laid down the law in his
strange； drawling voice。
〃The circumstances are unusual but not irregular； Lord Rufton；〃 said
he。 〃This gentleman has given a blow and this other gentleman has
received it。 That is a clear issue。 Time and conditions depend upon the
person who demands satisfaction。 Very good。 He claims it here and
now； across the table。 He is acting within his rights。 I am prepared to
accept the responsibility。〃
There was nothing more to be said。 Lord Rufton sat moodily in the
corner with his brows drawn down and his hands thrust deep into the
pockets of his riding…breeches。
Colonel Berkeley examined the two pistols and laid them both in the
centre of the table。 Lord Dacre was at one end and I at the other； with
eight feet of shining mahogany between us。 On the hearth…rug with his
back to the fire； stood the tall colonel； his handkerchief in his left hand； his
cigar between two fingers of his right。
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〃When I drop the handkerchief；〃 said he； 〃you will pick up your
pistols and you will fire at your own convenience。
Are you ready？〃
〃Yes；〃 we cried。
His hand opened and the handkerchief fell。 I bent swiftly forward
and seized a pistol； but the table； as I have said； was eight feet across； and
it was easier for this long…armed milord to reach the pistols than it was for
me。
I had not yet drawn myself straight before he fired； and to this it was
that I owe my life。 His bullet would have blown out my brains had I
been erect。 As it was it whistled through my curls。 At the same instant；
just as I threw up my own pistol to fire； the door flew open and a pair of
arms were thrown round me。 It was the beautiful； flushed； frantic face of
Lady Jane which looked up into mine。
〃You sha'n't fire！ Colonel Gerard； for my sake don't fire；〃 she cried。
〃It is a mistake； I tell you； a mistake； a mistake！ He is the best and
dearest of husbands。 Never again shall I leave his side。〃 Her hands slid
down my arm and closed upon my pistol。 〃Jane； Jane；〃 cried Lord
Rufton； 〃come with me。
You should not be here。 Come away。〃
〃It is all confoundedly irregular；〃 said Colonel Berkeley。
〃Colonel Gerard； you won't fire； will you？ My heart would break if
he were hurt。〃
〃Hang it all； Jinny； give the fellow fair play；〃 cried Lord Dacre。 〃He
stood my fire like a man； and I won't see him interfered with。 Whatever
happens I can't get worse than I deserve。〃
But already there had passed between me and the lady a quick glance
of the eyes which told her everything。
Her hands slipped from my arm。 〃I leave my husband's life and my
own happiness to Colonel Gerard；〃 said she。
How well she knew me； this admirable woman！ I stood for an instant
irresolute； with the pistol cocked in my hand。 My antagonist faced me
bravely； with no blenching of his sunburnt face and no flinching of his
bold； blue eyes。
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〃Come； come； sir； take your shot！〃 cried the colonel from the mat。
〃Let us have it； then；〃 said Lord Dacre。
I would； at least； show them how completely his life was at the mercy
of my skill。 So much I owed to my own self…respect。 I glanced round
for a mark。 The colonel was looking toward my antagonist； expecting to
see him drop。 His face was sideways to me； his long cigar projecting
from his lips with an inch of ash at the end of it。
Quick as a flash I raised my pistol and fired。
〃Permit me to trim your ash； sir；〃 said I； and I bowed with a grace
which is unknown among these islanders。
I am convinced that the fault lay with the pistol and not with my aim。
I could hardly believe my own eyes when I saw that I had snapped off the
cigar within half an inch of his lips。 He stood staring at me with the
ragged stub of the cigar…end sticking out from his singed mustache。 I can
see him now with his foolish； angry eyes and his long； thin； puzzled face。
Then he began to talk。 I have always said that the English are not really
a phlegmatic or a taciturn nation if you stir them out of their groove。 No
one could have talked in a more animated way than this colonel。 Lady
Jane put her hands over her ears。
〃Come； come； Colonel Berkeley；〃 said Lord Dacre； sternly； 〃you forget
yourself。 There is a lady in the room。〃
The colonel gave a stiff bow。
〃If Lady Dacre will kindly leave the room；〃 said he；
〃I will be able to tell this infernal little Frenchman what I think of him
and his monkey tricks。〃
I was splendid at that moment； for I ignored the words that he had said
and remembered only the extreme provocation。
〃Sir；〃 said I； 〃I freely offer you my apologies for this unhappy incident。
I felt that if I did not discharge my pistol Lord Dacre's honour might feel
hurt； and yet it was quite impossible for me； after hearing what this lady
has said； to aim it at her husband。 I looked round for a mark； therefore；
and I had the extreme misfortune to blow your cigar out of your mouth
when my intention had merely been to snuff the ash。 I was betrayed by
my pistol。 This is my explanation； sir； and if after listening to my
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apologies you still feel that I owe you satisfaction； I need not say that it is
a request which I am unable to refuse。〃
It was certainly a charming attitude which I had assumed； and it won
the hearts of all of them。 Lord Dacre stepped forward and wrung me by
the hand。 〃By George； sir；〃 said he； 〃I never thought to feel toward a
Frenchman as I do to you。 You're a man and a gentleman； and I can't say
more。〃 Lord Rufton said nothing； but his hand…grip told me all that he
thought。 Even Colonel Berkeley paid me a compliment； and declared
that he would think no more about the unfortunate cigar。
And sheah； if you could have seen the look she gave me； the flushed
cheek； the moist eye； the tremulous lip！
When I think of my beautiful Lady Jane it is at that moment that I
recall her。 They would have had me st
