the black robe-第3节
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shoulder with her fan。 〃I am one of the company；〃 she said； 〃and
I am sure Mr。 Romayne doesn't distrust _me_。〃 She turned to
Romayne with her most irresistible smile。 〃A gentleman always
plays cards；〃 she resumed； 〃when he has a lady for a partner。 Let
us join our interests at the tableand； dear Mr。 Romayne； don't
risk too much！〃 She put her pretty little purse into his hand；
and looked as if she had been in love with him for half her
lifetime。
The fatal influence of the sex； assisted by wine； produced the
inevitable result。 Romayne allowed himself to be led to the card
table。 For a moment the General delayed the beginning of the
game。 After what had happened； it was necessary that he should
assert the strict sense of justice that was in him。 〃We are all
honorable men；〃 he began。
〃And brave men；〃 the Commander added； admiring the General。
〃And brave men；〃 the General admitted； admiring the Commander。
〃Gentlemen； if I have been led into expressing myself with
unnecessary warmth of feeling； I apologize； and regret it。
〃Nobly spoken！〃 the Commander pronounced。 The General put his
hand on his heart and bowed。 The game began。
As the poorest man of the two I had escaped the attentions
lavished by the ladies on Romayne。 At the same time I was obliged
to pay for my dinner； by taking some part in the proceedings of
the evening。 Small stakes were allowed； I found； at roulette；
and； besides； the heavy chances in favor of the table made it
hardly worth while to run the risk of cheating in this case。 I
placed myself next to the least rascally…looking man in the
company； and played roulette。
For a wonder； I was successful at the first attempt。 My neighbor
handed me my winnings。 〃I have lost every farthing I possess；〃 he
whispered to me； piteously； 〃and I have a wife and children at
home。〃 I lent the poor wretch five francs。 He smiled faintly as
he looked at the money。 〃It reminds me；〃 he said； 〃of my last
transaction； when I borrowed of that gentleman there； who is
betting on the General's luck at the card table。 Beware of
employing him as I did。 What do you think I got for my note of
hand of four thousand francs？ A hundred bottles of champagne；
fifty bottles of ink； fifty bottles of blacking； three dozen
handkerchiefs； two pictures by unknown masters； two shawls； one
hundred maps； _and_five francs。〃
We went on playing。 My luck deserted me； I lost； and lost； and
lost again。 From time to time I looked round at the card table。
The 〃deal〃 had fallen early to the General； and it seemed to be
indefinitely prolonged。 A heap of notes and gold （won mainly from
Romayne； as I afterward discovered） lay before him。 As for my
neighbor； the unhappy possessor of the bottles of blacking； the
pictures by unknown masters； and the rest of it； he won； and then
rashly presumed on his good fortune。 Deprived of his last
farthing； he retired into a corner of the room； and consoled
himself with a cigar。 I had just arisen； to follow his example；
when a furious uproar burst out at the card table。
I saw Romayne spring up； and snatch the cards out of the
General's hand。 〃You scoundrel！〃 he shouted； 〃you are cheating！〃
The General started to his feet in a fury。 〃You lie！〃 he cried。 I
attempted to interfere； but Romayne had already seen the
necessity of controlling himself。 〃A gentleman doesn't accept an
insult from a swindler；〃 he said； coolly。 〃Accept this； then！〃
the General answeredand spat on him。 In an instant Romayne
knocked him down。
The blow was dealt straight between his eyes： he was a gross
big…boned man； and he fell heavily。 For the time he was stunned。
The women ran； screaming； out of the room。 The peaceable
Commander trembled from head to foot。 Two of the men present；
who； to give them their due； were no cowards； locked the doors。
〃You don't go；〃 they said； 〃till we see whether he recovers or
not。〃 Cold water； assisted by the landlady's smelling salts；
brought the General to his senses after a while。 He whispered
something to one of his friends； who immediately turned to me。
〃The General challenges Mr。 Romayne；〃 he said。 〃As one of his
seconds； I demand an appointment for to…morrow morning。〃 I
refused to make any appointment unless the doors were first
unlocked； and we were left free to depart。 〃Our carriage is
waiting outside；〃 I added。 〃If it returns to the hotel without
us； there will be an inquiry。〃 This latter consideration had its
effect。 On their side； the doors were opened。 On our side； the
appointment was made。 We left the house。
IV。
IN consenting to receive the General's representative； it is
needless to say that I merely desired to avoid provoking another
quarrel。 If those persons were really impudent enough to call at
the hotel； I had arranged to threaten them with the interference
of the police； and so to put an end to the matter。 Romayne
expressed no opinion on the subject； one way or the other。 His
conduct inspired me with a feeling of uneasiness。 The filthy
insult of which he had been made the object seemed to be rankling
in his mind。 He went away thoughtfully to his own room。 〃Have you
nothing to say to me？〃 I asked。 He only answered： 〃Wait till
to…morrow。〃
The next day the seconds appeared。
I had expected to see two of the men with whom we had dined。 To
my astonishment； the visitors proved to be officers of the
General's regiment。 They brought proposals for a hostile meeting
the next morning； the choice of weapons being left to Romayne as
the challenged man。
It was now quite plain to me that the General's peculiar method
of card…playing had； thus far； not been discovered and exposed。
He might keep doubtful company； and might （as I afterward heard）
be suspected in certain quarters。 But that he still had；
formally…speaking； a reputation to preserve； was proved by the
appearance of the two gentlemen present as his representatives。
They declared； with evident sincerity； that Romayne had made a
fatal mistake； had provoked the insult offered to him； and had
resented it by a brutal and cowardly outrage。 As a man and a
soldier； the General was doubly bound to insist on a duel。 No
apology would be accepted； even if an apology were offered。
In this emergency； as I understood it； there was but one course
to follow。 I refused to receive the challenge。
Being asked for my reasons； I found it necessary to speak within
certain limits。 Though we knew the General to be a cheat； it was
a delicate matter to dispute his right to claim satisfaction；
when he had found two officers to carry his message。 I produced
the seized cards （which Romayne had brought away with him in his
pocket）； and offered them as a formal proof that my friend had
not been mistaken。
The secondsevidently prepared for this circumstance by their
principaldeclined to examine the cards。 In the first place；
they said； not even the discovery of foul play （supposing the
discovery to have been really made） could justify Romayne's
conduct。 In the second place； the General's high character made
it impossible； under any circumstances； that he could be
responsible。 Like ourselves； he had rashly associated with bad
company； and he had been the innocent victim of an error or a
fraud； committed by some other person present at the table。
Driven to my last resource； I could now only base my refusal to
receive the challenge on the ground that we were Englishmen； and
that the practice of dueling had been abolished in England。 Both
the seconds at once declined to accept this statement in
justification of my conduct。
〃You are now in France；〃 said the elder of the two； 〃where a duel
is the established remedy for an insult； among gentlemen。 You are
bound to respect the social laws of the country in which you are
for the time residing。 If you refuse to do so； you lay yourselves
open to a public imputation on your courage； of a nature too
degrading to be more particularly alluded to。 Let us adjourn this
interview for three hours on the ground of informality。 We ought
to confer with _two_ gentlemen； acting on Mr。 Romayne's behalf。
Be prepared with another second to meet us； and reconsider your
decision before we call again。〃
The Frenchmen had barely taken their departure by one door； when
Romayne entered by anoth
