little novels-第76节

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I　took　the　money；　and　I　taught　him　the　trickand　I　regretted　it　almost　as　soon　as　it　was　done。　Not　that　I　knew；　mind；　of　any　serious　consequences　that　followed；　for　I　returned　to　London　the　next　morning。　My　sentiments　were　those　of　a　man　of　honor；　who　felt　that　he　had　degraded　his　art；　and　who　could　not　be　quite　sure　that　he　might　not　have　armed　the　hand　of　an　assassin　as　well。　I　have　no　more　to　say。

No。　3。Thomas　Outwater；　servant　to　Captain　Stanwick；　testifies　and　says：

If　I　did　not　firmly　believe　my　master　to　be　out　of　his　senses；　no　punishment　that　I　could　receive　would　prevail　upon　me　to　tell　of　him　what　I　am　going　to　tell　now。

But　I　say　he　is　mad；　and　therefore　not　accountable　for　what　he　has　donemad　for　love　of　a　young　woman。　If　I　could　have　my　way；　I　should　like　to　twist　her　neck；　though　she　_is_　a　lady；　and　a　gr　eat　heiress　into　the　bargain。　Before　she　came　between　them；　my　master　and　Mr。　Varleigh　were　more　like　brothers　than　anything　else。　She　set　them　at　variance；　and　whether　she　meant　to　do　it　or　not　is　all　the　same　to　me。　I　own　I　took　a　dislike　to　her　when　I　first　saw　her。　She　was　one　of　the　light…haired；　blue…eyed　sort；　with　an　innocent　look　and　a　snaky　waistnot　at　all　to　be　depended　on；　as　I　have　found　them。

I　hear　I　am　not　expected　to　give　an　account　of　the　disagreement　between　the　two　gentlemen；　of　which　this　lady　was　the　cause。　I　am　to　state　what　I　did　in　Maplesworth；　and　what　I　saw　afterward　in　Herne　Wood。　Poor　as　I　am；　I　would　give　a　five…pound　note　to　anybody　who　could　do　it　for　me。　Unfortunately；　I　must　do　it　for　myself。

On　the　10th　of　July；　in　the　evening；　my　master　went；　for　the　second　time　that　day；　to　Mr。　Varleigh's　lodgings。

I　am　certain　of　the　date；　because　it　was　the　day　of　publication　of　the　town　newspaper；　and　there　was　a　law　report　in　it　which　set　everybody　talking。　There　had　been　a　duel　with　pistols；　a　day　or　two　before；　between　a　resident　in　the　town　and　a　visitor；　caused　by　some　dispute　about　horses。　Nothing　very　serious　came　of　the　meeting。　One　of　the　men　only　was　hurt；　and　the　wound　proved　to　be　of　no　great　importance。　The　awkward　part　of　the　matter　was　that　the　constables　appeared　on　the　ground；　before　the　wounded　man　had　been　removed。　He　and　his　two　seconds　were　caught；　and　the　prisoners　were　committed　for　trial。　Dueling　（the　magistrates　said）　was　an　inhuman　and　unchristian　practice；　and　they　were　determined　to　put　the　law　in　force　and　stop　it。　This　sentence　made　a　great　stir　in　the　town；　and　fixed　the　date；　as　I　have　just　said；　in　my　mind。

Having　been　accidentally　within　hearing　of　some　of　the　disputes　concerning　Miss　Laroche　between　my　master　and　Mr。　Varleigh；　I　had　my　misgivings　about　the　Captain's　second　visit　to　the　friend　with　whom　he　had　quarreled　already。　A　gentleman　called　on　him；　soon　after　he　had　gone　out；　on　important　business。　This　gave　me　an　excuse　for　following　him　to　Mr。　Varleigh's　rooms　with　the　visitor's　card；　and　I　took　the　opportunity。

I　heard　them　at　high　words　on　my　way　upstairs；　and　waited　a　little　on　the　landing。　The　Captain　was　in　one　of　his　furious　rages；　Mr。　Varleigh　was　firm　and　cool　as　usual。　After　listening　for　a　minute　or　so；　I　heard　enough　（in　my　opinion）　to　justify　me　in　entering　the　room。　I　caught　my　master　in　the　act　of　lifting　his　canethreatening　to　strike　Mr。　Varleigh。　He　instantly　dropped　his　hand；　and　turned　on　me　in　a　fury　at　my　intrusion。　Taking　no　notice　of　this　outbreak　of　temper；　I　gave　him　his　friend's　card；　and　went　out。　A　talk　followed　in　voices　too　low　for　me　to　hear　outside　the　room；　and　then　the　Captain　approached　the　door。　I　got　out　of　his　way；　feeling　very　uneasy　about　what　was　to　come　next。　I　could　not　presume　to　question　Mr。　Varleigh。　The　only　thing　I　could　think　of　was　to　tell　the　young　lady's　aunt　what　I　had　seen　and　heard；　and　to　plead　with　Miss　Laroche　herself　to　make　peace　between　them。　When　I　inquired　for　the　ladies　at　their　lodgings；　I　was　told　that　they　had　left　Maplesworth。

I　saw　no　more　of　the　Captain　that　night。

The　next　morning　he　seemed　to　be　quite　himself　again。　He　said　to　me；　〃Thomas；　I　am　going　sketching　in　Herne　Wood。　Take　the　paint…box　and　the　rest　of　it；　and　put　this　into　the　carriage。〃

He　handed　me　a　packet　as　thick　as　my　arm；　and　about　three　feet　long；　done　up　in　many　folds　of　canvas。　I　made　bold　to　ask　what　it　was。　He　answered　that　it　was　an　artist's　sketching　umbrella；　packed　for　traveling。

In　an　hour's　time；　the　carriage　stopped　on　the　road　below　Herne　Wood。　My　master　said　he　would　carry　his　sketching　things　himself；　and　I　was　to　wait　with　the　carriage。　In　giving　him　the　so…called　umbrella；　I　took　the　occasion　of　his　eye　being　off　me　for　the　moment　to　pass　my　hand　over　it　carefully；　and　I　felt；　through　the　canvas；　the　hilt　of　a　sword。　As　an　old　soldier；　I　could　not　be　mistakenthe　hilt　of　a　sword。

What　I　thought；　on　making　this　discovery；　does　not　much　matter。　What　I　did　was　to　watch　the　Captain　into　the　wood；　and　then　to　follow　him。

I　tracked　him　along　the　path　to　where　there　was　a　clearing　in　the　midst　of　the　trees。　There　he　stopped；　and　I　got　behind　a　tree。　He　undid　the　canvas；　and　produced　_two_　swords　concealed　in　the　packet。　If　I　had　felt　any　doubts　before；　I　was　certain　of　what　was　coming　now。　A　duel　without　seconds　or　witnesses；　by　way　of　keeping　the　town　magistrates　in　the　darka　duel　between　my　master　and　Mr。　Varleigh！　As　his　name　came　into　my　mind；　the　man　himself　appeared；　making　his　way　into　the　clearing　from　the　other　side　of　the　wood。

What　could　I　do　to　stop　it？　No　human　creature　was　in　sight。　The　nearest　village　was　a　mile　away；　reckoning　from　the　further　side　of　the　wood。　The　coachman　was　a　stupid　old　man；　quite　useless　in　a　difficulty；　even　if　I　had　had　time　enough　to　go　back　to　the　road　and　summon　him　to　help　me。　While　I　was　thinking　about　it；　the　Captain　and　Mr。　Varleigh　had　stripped　to　their　shirts　and　trousers。　When　they　crossed　their　swords；　I　could　stand　it　no　longerI　burst　in　on　them。　〃For　God　Almighty's　sake；　gentlemen；〃　I　cried　out；　〃don't　fight　without　seconds！〃　My　master　turned　on　me；　like　the　madman　he　was；　and　threatened　me　with　the　point　of　his　sword。　Mr。　Varleigh　pulled　me　back　out　of　harm's　way。　〃Don't　be　afraid；〃　he　whispered；　as　he　led　me　back　to　the　verge　of　the　clearing；　〃I　have　chosen　the　sword　instead　of　the　pistol　expressly　to　spare　his　life。〃

Those　noble　words　（spoken　by　as　brave　and　true　a　man　as　ever　breathed）　quieted　me。　I　knew　Mr。　Varleigh　had　earned　the　repute　of　being　one　of　the　finest　swordsmen　in　Europe。

The　duel　began。　I　was　placed　behind　my　master；　and　was　consequently　opposite　to　his　antagonist。　The　Captain　stood　on　his　defense；　waiting　for　the　other　to　attack。　Mr。　Varleigh　made　a　pass。　I　was　opposite　the　point　of　his　sword；　I　saw　it　touch　the　Captain's　left　shoulder。　In　the　same　instant　of　time　my　master　struck　up　his　opponent's　sword　with　his　own　weapon；　seized　Mr。　Varleigh's　right　wrist　in　his　left　hand；　and　passed　his　sword　clean　through　Mr。　Varleigh's　breast。　He　fell；　the　victim　of　a　murderous　trickfell　without　a　word　or　a　cry。

The　Captain　turned　slowly；　and　faced　me　with　his　bloody　sword　in　his　hand。　I　can't　tell　you　how　he　looked；　I　can　only　say　that　the　sight　of　him　turned　me　faint　with　terror。　I　was　at　WaterlooI　am　no　coward。　But　I　tell　you　the　cold　sweat　poured　down　my　face　like　water。　I　should　have　dropped　if　I　had　not　held　by　the　branch　of　a　tree。

My　master　waited　until　I　had　in　a　measure　recovered　myself。　〃Feel　if　his　heart　beats；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　man　on　the　ground。

I　obeyed。　He　was　deadthe　heart　was　still；　the　beat　of　the　pulse　was　gone。　I　said；　〃You　have　killed　him！〃

The　Captain　made　no　answer。　He　packed　up　the　two　swords　again　in　the　canvas；　and　put　them　under　his　arm。　Then　he　told　me　to　follow　him　with　the　sketching　materials。　I　drew　back　from　him　without　speaking；　there　was　a　horrid　hollow　sound　in　his　voice　that　I　did　not　like。　〃Do　as　I　tell　you；〃　he　said：　〃you　have　yourself　to　thank　for　it　if　I　refuse　to　lose　sight　of　you　now。〃　I　managed　to　say　that　he　might　trust　me　to　say　nothing。　He　refused　to　trust　me；　he　put　out　his　hand　to　take　hold　of　me。　I　could　not　stand　that。　〃I'll　go　with　you；〃　I　said；　〃don't　touch　me！〃　We　reached　the　carriage　and　returned　to　Maplesworth。　The　same　day　we　traveled　by　post　to　London。

In　London　I　contrived　to　give　the　Captain　the　slip。　By　the　first　coach　the　next　morning　I　want　back　to　Maplesworth；　eager　to　hear　what　had　happened；　and　if　the　body　had　been　found。　Not　a　word　of　news　reached　me；　nothing　seemed　to　be　known　of　the　duel　in　Herne　Wood。

I　went　to　the　woodon　foot；　fearing　that　I　might　be　traced　if　I　hired　a　carriage。　The　country　round　was　as　solitary　as　usual。　Not　a　creature　was　near　when　I　entered　the　wood；　not　a　creature　was　near　when　I　looked　into　the　clearing。

There　was　nothing　on　the　ground。　The　body　was　gone。

No。　4。The　Reverend　Alfred　Loring；　Rector　of　Nettlegrove；　testifies　and　says：

I。

EARLY　in　the　month　of　October；　1817；　I　was　informed　that　Miss　Bertha　Laroche　had　called　at　　my　house；　and　wished　to　see　me　in　private。

I　had　first　been　presented　to　Miss　Laroche　on　her　arrival；　with　her　aunt；　to　take　possession　of　her　property　at　Nettlegrove　Hall。　My　opportunities　of　improving　my　acquaintance　with　her　had　not　been　so　numerou