"I know well enough what he "d say; he "d say that there was nothing serious in it, that he was merely indulging in that sort of larking talk one offers to a pretty woman who does not seem to dislike it. The chances are he "d turn the tables a bit, and say that you rather led him on than repressed him."
"And would these pleas diminish your desire to have his heart"s blood?"
cried she, wild with pa.s.sion and indignation together.
"Having his heart"s blood is very fine, if I was sure--quite sure--he might not have mine. The fellow is a splendid shot."
"I thought so. I could have sworn it," cried she, with a taunting laugh.
"I admit no man my superior with a pistol," said Sewell, stung far more by her laughter than her words; "but what have I to gain if I shoot him?
His family would prosecute me to a certainty; and it went devilish close with that last fellow who was tried at Newgate."
"If you care so little for my honor, sir, I "ll show you how cheaply I can regard yours. I will go back to Sir Brook to-morrow, and return him his money. I will tell him, besides, that I am married to one so hopelessly lost to every sentiment and feeling, not merely of the gentleman, but of the man, that it is needless to try to help him; and that I will accept nothing for him,--not a shilling; that he may deal with you on those other matters he spoke of as he pleases; that it will be no favor shown me when he spares you. There, sir, I leave you now to compute whether a little courage would not have served you better than all your cunning."
"You do not leave this room till you give me that pocket-book," said he, rising, and placing his back to the door.
"I foresaw this, sir," said she, laughing quietly, "and took care to deposit the money in a safe place before I came here. You are welcome to every farthing I have about me."
"Your scheme is too glaring, too palpable by half. There is a vulgar shamelessness in the way you "make your book," standing to win whichever of us should kill the other. I read it at a glance," said he, as he threw himself into a chair; "but I "ll not help to make you an interesting widow. Are you going? Good-night."
She moved towards the door? and just as she reached it he arose and said, "On what pretext could I ask this man to meet me? What do I charge him with? How could I word my note to him?"
"Let _me_ write it," said she, with a bitter laugh. "You will only have to copy it."
"And if I consent will you do all the rest? Will you go to Fossbrooke and ask him for the increased allowance?"
"I will."
"Will you do your best--your very best--to obtain it? Will you use all the power and influence you have over him to dissuade him from any act that might injure _me?_ Will you get his pledge that he will not molest me in any way?"
"I will promise to do all that I can with him." "And when must this come off,--this meeting, I mean?"
"At once, of course. You ought to leave this by the early packet for Bangor. Harding or Vaughan--any one--will go with you. Trafford can follow you by the midday mail, as your note will have reached him early."
"You seem to have a capital head for these sort of things; you arrange all to perfection," said he, with a sneer.
"I had need of it, as I have to think for two;" and the sarcasm stung him to the quick. "I will go to your room and write the note. I shall find paper and ink there?"
"Yes; everything. I"ll carry these candles for you;" and he arose and preceded her to his study. "I wish he would not mix old Fossbrooke in the affair. I hope he"ll not name him as his friend."
"I have already thought of that," said she, as she sat down at the table and began to write. After a few seconds she said, "This will do, I think:--
""Sir,--I have just learned from my wife how grossly insulting was your conduct towards her yesterday, on the occasion of her calling at Sir Brook Fossbrooke"s house. The shame and distress in which she returned here would fully warrant any chastis.e.m.e.nt I might inflict upon you; but for the sake of the cloth you wear, I offer you the alternative which I would extend to a man of honor, and desire you will meet me at once with a friend. I shall leave by the morning packet for Holyhead, and be found at the chief hotel, Bangor, where, waiting your pleasure, I am your obedient servant.
""I hope it is needless to say that my wife"s former guardian, Sir B.
F., should not be chosen to act for you on this occasion.""
"I don"t think I"d say that about personal chastis.e.m.e.nt. People don"t horsewhip nowadays."
"So much the worse. I would leave it there, however. It will insult him like a blow."
"Oh, he"s ready enough,--he"ll not need poking to rouse his pluck. I"ll say that for him."
"And yet I half suspect he "ll write some blundering sort of apology; some attempt to show that I was mistaken. I know--I know it as well as if I saw it--he "ll not fire at you."
"What makes you think that?" "He could n"t. It would be impossible for him." "I "m not so sure of that. There"s something very provocative in the sight of a pistol muzzle staring at one a few paces off. _I"d_ fire at my father if I saw him going to shoot at me."
"I think _you_ would," said she, dryly. "Sit down and copy that note. We must send it by a messenger at once."
"I don"t think you put it strongly enough about old Foss-brooke. I "d have said distinctly,--I object to his acting on account of his close and intimate connection with my wife"s family."
"No, no; leave it all as it stands. If we begin to change, we shall never have an end of the alterations."
"If I believed he would not fire at me, I"d not shoot him," said Sewell, biting the end of his pen.
"He "ll not fire the first time; but if you go on to a second shot, I"m certain he will aim at you."
"I"ll try and not give him this chance, then," said he, laughing.
"Remember," added he, "I"m promising to cross the Channel, and I have not a pound in my pocket."
"Write that, and I "ll go fetch you the money," said she, leaving the room; and, pa.s.sing out through the hall and the front door, she put her arm and hand into a large marble vase, several of which stood on the terrace, and drew forth the pocket-book which Sir Brook had given her, and which she had secretly deposited there as she entered the house.
"There, that"s done," said he, handing her his note as she came in.
"Put it in an envelope and address it. And now, where are you to find Harding, or whoever you mean to take with you?"
"That"s easy enough; they "ll be at supper at the Club by this time.
I"ll go in at once. But the money?"
"Here it is. I have not counted it; he gave me the pocket-book as you see."
"There"s more than he said. There are two hundred and eighty-five pounds. He must be in funds."
"Don"t lose time. It is very late already,--nigh two o"clock; these men will have left the Club, possibly?"
"No, no; they play on till daybreak. I suppose I"d better put my traps in a portmanteau at once, and not require to come back here."
"I "ll do all that for you."
"How amiable a wife can be at the mere prospect of getting rid of her husband!"
"You will send me a telegram?"
"Very likely. Good-bye. Adieu."
"_Adieu et bonne chance_," said she, gayly.
"That means a good aim, I suppose," said he, laughing.
She nodded pleasantly, kissed her hand to him, and he was gone.