CHAPTER x.x.xIII.
MR. O"LEARY"S SECOND LOVE.
"You may easily suppose," began Mr. O"Leary, "that the unhappy termination of my first pa.s.sion served as a shield to me for a long time against my unfortunate tendencies towards the fair; and such was really the case. I never spoke to a young lady for three years after, without a reeling in my head, so a.s.sociated in my mind was love and sea-sickness. However, at last what will not time do. It was about four years from the date of this adventure, when I became so, from oblivion of my former failure, as again to tempt my fortune. My present choice, in every way unlike the last, was a gay, lively girl, of great animal spirits, and a considerable turn for raillery, that spared no one; the members of her own family were not even sacred in her eyes; and her father, a reverend dean, as frequently figured among the ludicrous as his neighbours.
"The Evershams had been very old friends of a rich aunt of mine, who never, by the by, had condescended to notice me till I made their acquaintance; but no sooner had I done so, than she sent for me, and gave me to understand that in the event of my succeeding to the hand of f.a.n.n.y Eversham, I should be her heir, and the possessor of about sixty thousand pounds. She did not stop here; but by canva.s.sing the dean in my favour, speedily put the matter on a most favourable footing, and in less than two months I was received as the accepted suitor of the fair f.a.n.n.y, then one of the reigning belles of Dublin.
"They lived at this time about three miles from town, in a very pretty country, where I used to pa.s.s all my mornings, and many of my evenings too, in a state of happiness that I should have considered perfect, if it were not for two unhappy blots--one, the taste of my betrothed for laughing at her friends; another the diabolical propensity to talk politics of my intended father-in-law--to the former I could submit; but with the latter, submission only made bad worse; for he invariably drew up as I receded, drily observing that with men who had no avowed opinions, it was ill agreeing; or that, with persons who kept their politics as a school-boy does his pocket-money, never to spend, and always ready to change, it was unpleasant to dispute. Such taunts as these I submitted to as well as I might; secretly resolving, that as I now knew the meaning of whig and tory, I"d contrive to spend my life, after marriage, out of the worthy dean"s diocese.
"Time wore on, and at length, to my most pressing solicitations, it was conceded that a day for our marriage should be appointed. Not even the unlucky termination of this my second love affair can deprive me of the happy souvenir of the few weeks which were to intervene before our destined union.
"The mornings were pa.s.sed in ransacking all the shops where wedding finery could be procured--laces, blondes, velvets, and satins, littered every corner of the deanery--and there was scarcely a carriage in a coach-maker"s yard in the city that I had not sat and jumped in, to try the springs, by the special directions of Mrs. Eversham; who never ceased to impress me with the awful responsibility I was about to take upon me, in marrying so great a prize as her daughter--a feeling I found very general among many of my friends at the Kildare-street club.
"Among the many indispensable purchases which I was to make, and about which f.a.n.n.y expressed herself more than commonly anxious, was a saddle-horse for me. She was a great horsewoman, and hated riding with only a servant; and had given me to understand as much about half-a-dozen times each day for the last five weeks. How shall I acknowledge it --equestrianism was never my forte. I had all my life considerable respect for the horse as an animal, pretty much as I dreaded a lion or a tiger; but as to my intention of mounting upon the back of one, and taking a ride, I should as soon have dreamed of taking an airing upon a giraffe; and as to the thought of buying, feeding, and maintaining such a beast at my own proper cost, I should just as soon have determined to purchase a pillory or a ducking-stool, by way of amusing my leisure hours.
"However, f.a.n.n.y was obstinate--whether she suspected any thing or not I cannot say--but nothing seemed to turn her from her purpose; and although I pleaded a thousand things in delay, yet she each day grew more impatient, and at last I saw that there was nothing for it but to submit.
"When I arrived at this last and bold resolve, I could not help feeling that to possess a horse and not be able to mount him, was only deferring the ridicule; and as I had so often expressed the difficulty I felt in suiting myself as a cause of my delay, I could not possibly come forward with any thing very objectionable, or I should be only the more laughed at. There was then but one course to take; a fortnight still intervened before the day which was to make me happy, and I accordingly resolved to take lessons in riding during the intervals, and by every endeavour in my power become, if possible, able to pa.s.s muster on the saddle before my bride.
"Poor old Lalouette understood but little of the urgency of the case, when I requested his leave to take my lessons each morning at six o"clock, for I dared not absent myself during the day without exciting suspicion; and never, I will venture to a.s.sert, did knight-errant of old strive harder for the hand of his lady-love than did I during that weary fortnight, if a hippogriff had been the animal I bestrode, instead of being, as it was, an old wall-eyed grey, I could not have felt more misgivings at my temerity, or more proud of my achievement. In the first three days the unaccustomed exercise proved so severe, that when I reached the deanery I could hardly move, and crossed the floor, pretty much as a pair of compa.s.ses might be supposed to do if performing that exploit. Nothing, however, could equal the kindness of my poor dear mother-in-law in embryo, and even the dean too. f.a.n.n.y, indeed, said nothing; but I rather think she was disposed to giggle a little; but my rheumatism, as it was called, was daily inquired after, and I was compelled to take some infernal stuff in my port wine at dinner that nearly made me sick at table.
""I am sure you walk too much," said f.a.n.n.y, with one of her knowing looks. "Papa, don"t you think he ought to ride; it would be much better for him."
""I do, my dear," said the dean. "But then you see he is so hard to be pleased in a horse. Your old hunting days have spoiled you; but you must forget Melton and Grantham, and condescend to keep a hack."
"I must have looked confoundedly foolish here, for f.a.n.n.y never took her eyes off me, and continued to laugh in her own wicked way.
"It was now about the ninth or tenth day of my purgatorial performances; and certainly if there be any merit in fleshly mortifications, these religious exercises of mine should stand my part hereafter. A review had been announced in the Phoenix-park, which f.a.n.n.y had expressed herself most desirous to witness; and as the dean would not permit her to go without a chaperon, I had no means of escape, and promised to escort her. No sooner had I made this rash pledge, than I hastened to my confidential friend, Lalouette, and having imparted to him my entire secret, asked him in a solemn and imposing manner, "Can I do it?" The old man shook his head dubiously, looked grave, and muttered at length, "Mosch depend on de horse." "I know it--I know it--I feel it," said I eagerly--"then where are we to find an animal that will carry me peaceably through this awful day--I care not for his price?"
""Votre affaire ne sera pas trop chere," said he.
""Why. How do you mean?" said I.
"He then proceeded to inform me, that by a singularly fortunate chance, there took place that day an auction of "cast horses," as they are termed, which had been used in the horse police force; and that from long riding, and training to stand fire, nothing could be more suitable than one of these; being both easy to ride, and not given to start at noise.
"I could have almost hugged the old fellow for his happy suggestion, and waited with impatience for three o"clock to come, when we repaired together to Ess.e.x-bridge, at that time the place selected for these sales.
"I was at first a little shocked at the look of the animals drawn up; they were most miserably thin--most of them swelled in the legs--few without sore backs--and not one eye, on an average, in every three; but still they were all high steppers, and carried a great tail. "There"s your affaire," said the old Frenchman, as a long-legged fiddle-headed beast was led out; turning out his forelegs so as to endanger the man who walked beside him.
""Yes, there"s blood for you, said Charley Dycer, seeing my eye fixed on the wretched beast; "equal to fifteen stone with any foxhounds; safe in all his paces, and warranted sound; except," added he, in a whisper, "a slight spavin in both hind legs, ring gone, and a little touched in the wind." Here the animal gave an approving cough. "Will any gentleman say fifty pounds to begin?" But no gentleman did. A hackney coachman, however, said five, and the sale was opened; the beast trotting up and down nearly over the bidders at every moment, and plunging on so that it was impossible to know what was doing.
""Five, ten--fifteen--six pounds--thank you, sir,--guineas"--"seven pounds," said I, bidding against myself, not perceiving that I had spoken last. "Thank you, Mr. Moriarty," said Dycer, turning towards an invisible purchaser supposed to be in the crowd. "Thank you, sir, you"ll not let a good one go that way." Every one here turned to find out the very knowing gentleman; but he could no where be seen.
"Dycer resumed, "Seven ten for Mr. Moriarty. Going for seven ten--a cruel sacrifice--there"s action for you--playful beast." Here the devil had stumbled and nearly killed a basket-woman with two children.
""Eight," said I, with a loud voice.
""Eight pounds, quite absurd," said Dycer, almost rudely; "a charger like that for eight pounds--going for eight pounds--going--nothing above eight pounds--no reserve, gentlemen, you are aware of that. They are all as it were, his majesty"s stud--no reserve whatever--last time, eight pounds --gone."
"Amid a very hearty cheer from the mob--G.o.d knows why--but a Dublin mob always cheer--I returned, accompanied by a ragged fellow, leading my new purchase after me with a bay halter. "What is the meaning of those letters," said I, pointing to a very conspicuous G.R. with sundry other enigmatical signs, burned upon the animal"s hind quarter.
""That"s to show he was a po-lice," said the fellow with a grin; "and whin ye ride with ladies, ye must turn the decoy side."
"The auspicious morning at last arrived; and strange to say that the first waking thought was of the unlucky day that ushered in my yachting excursion, four years before. Why this was so, I cannot pretend to guess; there was but little a.n.a.logy in the circ.u.mstances, at least so far as any thing had then gone. "How is Marius?" said I to my servant, as he opened my shutters. Here let me mention that a friend of the Kildare-street club had suggested this name from the remarkably cla.s.sic character of my steed"s countenance; his nose, he a.s.sured me, was perfectly Roman.
""Marius is doing finely, sir, barring his cough, and the thrifle that ails his hind legs."
""He"ll carry me quietly, Simon, eh?"
""Quietly. I"ll warrant he"ll carry you quietly, if that"s all."
"Here was comfort. Certainly Simon had lived forty years as pantry boy with my mother, and knew a great deal about horses. I dressed myself, therefore, in high spirits; and if my pilot jacket and oil-skin cap in former days had half persuaded me that I was born for marine achievements, certainly my cords and tops, that morning, went far to convince me that I must have once been a very keen sportsman somewhere, without knowing it. It was a delightful July day that I set out to join my friends, who having recruited a large party, were to rendezvous at the corner of Stephen"s-green; thither I proceeded in a certain ambling trot, which I have often observed is a very favourite pace with timid hors.e.m.e.n, and gentlemen of the medical profession. I was hailed with a most hearty welcome by a large party as I turned out of Grafton-street, among whom I perceived several friends of Miss Eversham, and some young dragoon officers, not of my acquaintance, but who appeared to know f.a.n.n.y intimately, and were laughing heartily with her as I rode up.
"I don"t know if other men have experienced what I am about to mention or not; but certainly to me there is no more painful sensation than to find yourself among a number of well-mounted, well-equipped people, while the animal you yourself bestride seems only fit for the kennel. Every look that is cast at your unlucky steed--every whispered observation about you are so many thorns in your flesh, till at last you begin to feel that your appearance is for very little else than the amus.e.m.e.nt and mirth of the a.s.sembly; and every time you rise in your stirrups you excite a laugh.
""Where for mercy"s sake did you find that creature?" said f.a.n.n.y, surveying Marius through her gla.s.s.
""Oh, him, eh? Why he is a handsome horse, if in condition--a charger your know--that"s his style."
""Indeed," lisped a young lancer, "I should be devilish sorry to charge or be charged with him." And here they all chuckled at this puppy"s silly joke, and I drew up to repress further liberties.
""Is he anything of a fencer?" said a young country gentleman.
""To judge from his near eye, I should say much more of a boxer," said another.
"Here commenced a running fire of pleasantry at the expense of my poor steed; which, not content with attacking his physical, extended to his moral qualities. An old gentleman near me observing, "that I ought not to have mounted him at all, seeing he was so d.a.m.ned groggy;" to which I replied, by insinuating, that if others present were as free from the influence of ardent spirits, society would not be a sufferer; an observation that I flatter myself turned the mirth against the old fellow, for they all laughed for a quarter of an hour after.
"Well, at last we set out in a brisk trot, and, placed near f.a.n.n.y, I speedily forgot all my annoyances in the prospect of figuring to advantage before her. When we reached College-green the leaders of the cortege suddenly drew up, and we soon found that the entire street opposite the Bank was filled with a dense mob of people, who appeared to be swayed hither and thither, like some mighty beast, as the individuals composing it were engaged in close conflict. It was nothing more nor less than one of those almost weekly rows, which then took place between the students of the University and the town"s-people, and which rarely ended without serious consequences. The numbers of people pressing on to the scene of action soon blocked up our retreat, and we found ourselves most unwilling spectators of the conflict. Political watch-words were loudly shouted by each party; and at last the students, who appeared to be yielding to superior numbers, called out for the intervention of the police. The aid was nearer than they expected; for at the same instant a body of mounted policemen, whose high helmets rendered them sufficiently conspicuous, were seen trotting at a sharp pace down Dame-street. On they came with drawn sabres, led by a well-looking gentlemanlike personage in plain clothes, who dashed at once into the midst of the fray, issuing his orders, and pointing out to his followers to secure the ringleaders. Up to this moment I had been a most patient, and rather amused spectator, of what was doing. Now, however, my part was to commence, for at the word "charge," given in a harsh, deep voice by the sergeant of the party, Marius, remembering his ancient instinct, p.r.i.c.ked up his ears, c.o.c.ked his tail, flung up both his hind legs till they nearly broke the Provost"s windows, and plunged into the thickest of the fray like a devil incarnate.
"Self-preservation must be a strong instinct, for I well remember how little pain it cost me to see the people tumbling and rolling before and beneath me, while I continued to keep my seat. It was only the moment before and that immense ma.s.s were in man to man encounter; now all the indignation of both parties seemed turned upon me; brick-bats were loudly implored, and paving stones begged to throw at my devoted head; the wild huntsman of the German romance never created half the terror, nor one-tenth of the mischief that I did in less than fifteen minutes, for the ill-starred beast continued twining and twisting like a serpent, plunging and kicking the entire time, and occasionally biting too; all which accomplishments I afterwards learned, however little in request in civil life, are highly prized in the horse police.
"Every new order of the sergeant was followed in his own fashion by Marius; who very soon contrived to concentrate in my unhappy person, all the interest of about fifteen hundred people.
""Secure that scoundrel," said the magistrate, pointing with his finger towards me, as I rode over a respectable looking old lady, with a grey m.u.f.f. "Secure him. Cut him down."
""Ah, devil"s luck to him, if ye do," said a newsmonger with a broken shin.
"On I went, however, and now, as the Fates would have it, instead of bearing me out of further danger, the confounded brute dashed onwards to where the magistrate was standing, surrounded by policemen. I thought I saw him change colour as I came on. I suppose my own looks were none of the pleasantest, for the worthy man liked them not. Into the midst of them we plunged, upsetting a corporal, horse and all, and appearing as if bent upon reaching the alderman.
""Cut him down for heaven"s sake. Will n.o.body shoot him" said he, with a voice trembling with fear and anger.
"At these words a wretch lifted up his sabre, and made a cut at my head. I stooped suddenly, and throwing myself from the saddle, seized the poor alderman round the neck, and we both came rolling to the ground together. So completely was he possessed with the notion that I meant to a.s.sa.s.sinate him, that while I was endeavouring to extricate myself from his grasp, he continued to beg his life in the most heartrending manner.
"My story is now soon told. So effectually did they rescue the alderman from his danger, that they left me insensible; and I only came to myself some days after by finding myself in the dock in Green-street, charged with an indictment of nineteen counts; the only word of truth is what lay in the preamble, for the "devil inciting" me only, would ever have made me the owner of that infernal beast, the cause of all my misfortunes. I was so stupified from my hearing, that I know little of the course of the proceedings. My friends told me afterwards that I had a narrow escape from transportation; but for the greatest influence exerted in my behalf, I should certainly have pa.s.sed the autumn in the agreeable recreation of pounding oyster sh.e.l.ls or carding wool; and it certainly must have gone hard with me, for stupified as I was, I remember the sensation in court, when the alderman made his appearance with a patch over his eye. The affecting admonition of the little judge--who, when pa.s.sing sentence upon me, adverted to the former respectability of my life, and the rank of my relatives--actually made the galleries weep.
"Four months in Newgate, and a fine to the king, then rewarded my taste for horse-exercise; and it"s no wonder if I prefer going on foot.
"As to Miss Eversham, the following short note from the dean concluded my hopes in that quarter.
""Deanery, Wednesday morning.
""Sir,--After the very distressing publicity to which your late conduct has exposed you--the so open avowal of political opinion, at variance with those (I will say) of every gentleman--and the recorded sentence of a judge on the verdict of twelve of your countrymen--I should hope that you will not feel my present admonition necessary to inform you, that your visits at my house shall cease.
""The presents you made my daughter, when under our unfortunate ignorance of your real character, have been addressed to your hotel, and I am your most obedient, humble servant, ""Oliver Eversham."
"Here ended my second affair "par amours;" and I freely confess to you that if I can only obtain a wife in a sea voyage, or a steeple chase, I am likely to fulfill one great condition in modern advertising--"as having no inc.u.mbrance, or any objection to travel.""
CHAPTER x.x.xIV.
THE DUEL.
Mr. O"Leary had scarcely concluded the narrative of his second adventure, when the grey light of the breaking day was seen faintly struggling through the half-closed curtains, and apprising us of the lateness of the hour.
"I think we shall just have time for one finishing flask of Chambertin," said O"Leary, as he emptied the bottle into his gla.s.s.
"I forbid the bans, for one," cried Trevanion. "We have all had wine enough, considering what we have before us this morning; and besides you are not aware it is now past four o"clock. So garcon--garcon, there--how soundly the poor fellow sleeps--let us have some coffee, and then inquire if a carriage is in waiting at the corner of the Rue Vivienne."
The coffee made its appearance, very much, as it seemed, to Mr. O"Leary"s chagrin, who, however, solaced himself by sundry pet.i.ts verres, to correct the coldness of the wine he had drank, and at length recovered his good humour.
"Do you know, now," said he, after a short pause, in which we had all kept silence, "I think what we are about to do, is the very ugliest way of finishing a pleasant evening. For my own part I like the wind up we used to have in "Old Trinity" formerly; when, after wringing off half a dozen knockers, breaking the lamps at the post-office, and getting out the fire engines of Werburgh"s parish, we beat a few watchmen, and went peaceably to bed."
"Well, not being an Irishman," said Trevanion, "I"m half disposed to think that even our present purpose is nearly as favourable to life and limb; but here comes my servant. Well, John, is all arranged, and the carriage ready?"
Having ascertained that the carriage was in waiting, and that the small box--bra.s.s bound and Bramah-locked--reposed within, we paid our bill and departed. A cold, raw, misty-looking morning, with ma.s.ses of dark louring clouds overhead, and channels of dark and murky water beneath, were the pleasant prospects which met us as we issued forth from the Cafe. The lamps, which hung suspended midway across the street, (we speak of some years since,) creaked, with a low and plaintive sound, as they swung backwards and forwards in the wind. Not a footstep was heard in the street--nothing but the heavy patter of the rain as it fell ceaselessly upon the broad pavement. It was, indeed, a most depressing and dispiriting accompaniment to our intended excursion: and even O"Leary, who seemed to have but slight sympathy with external influences, felt it, for he spoke but little, and was scarcely ten minutes in the carriage till he was sound asleep. This was, I confess, a great relief to me; for, however impressed I was, and to this hour am, with the many sterling qualit.i.tes of my poor friend, yet, I acknowledge, that this was not precisely the time I should have cared for their exercise, and would have much preferred the companionship of a different order of person, even though less long acquainted with him. Trevanion was, of all others, the most suitable for this purpose; and I felt no embarra.s.sment in opening my mind freely to him upon subjects which, but twenty-four hours previous, I could not have imparted to a brother.
There is no such unlocker of the secrets of the heart as the possibly near approach of death. Indeed, I question if a great deal of the bitterness the thought of it inspires, does not depend upon that very circ.u.mstance. The reflection that the long-treasured mystery of our lives (and who is there without some such?) is about to become known, and the secret of our inmost heart laid bare, is in itself depressing. Not one kind word, nor one remembrancing adieu, to those we are to leave for ever, can be spoken or written, without calling up its own story of half-forgotten griefs or, still worse, at such a moment, of happiness never again to be partaken of.
"I cannot explain why," said I to Trevanion, "but although it has unfortunately been pretty often my lot to have gone out on occasions like this, both as princ.i.p.al and friend, yet never before did I feel so completely depressed and low-spirited--and never, in fact, did so many thoughts of regret arise before me for much of the past, and sorrow for the chance of abandoning the future"-- "I can understand," said Trevanion, interrupting--"I have heard of your prospect in the Callonby family, and certainly, with such hopes, I can well conceive how little one would be disposed to brook the slightest incident which could interfere with their accomplishment; but, now that your cousin Guy"s pretensions in that quarter are at an end, I suppose, from all I have heard, that there can be no great obstacle to yours."
"Guy"s pretensions at an end! For heaven"s sake, tell me all you know of this affair--for up to this moment I am in utter ignorance of every thing regarding his position among the Callonby family."
"Unfortunately," replied Trevanion, "I know but little, but still that little is authentic--Guy himself having imparted the secret to a very intimate friend of mine. It appears, then, that your cousin, having heard that the Callonbys had been very civil to you in Ireland, and made all manner of advances to you--had done so under the impression that you were the other nephew of Sir Guy, and consequently the heir of a large fortune--that is, Guy himself--and that they had never discovered the mistake during the time they resided in Ireland, when they not only permitted, but even encouraged the closest intimacy between you and Lady Jane. Is so far true?"
"I have long suspected it. Indeed in no other way can I account for the reception I met with from the Callonbys. But is it possible that Lady Jane could have lent herself to any thing so unworthy."-- "Pray, hear me out," said Trevanion, who was evidently struck by the despondency of my voice and manner. "Guy having heard of their mistake, and auguring well to himself from this evidence of their disposition, no sooner heard of their arrival in Paris, than he came over here and got introduced to them. From that time he scarcely ever left their house, except to accompany them into society, or to the theatres. It is said that with Lady Jane he made no progress. Her manner, at the beginning cold and formal, became daily more so; until, at last, he was half disposed to abandon the pursuit--in which, by the by, he has since confessed, monied views entered more than any affection for the lady --when the thought struck him to benefit by what he supposed at first to be the great bar to his success. He suddenly pretended to be only desirous of intimacy with Lady Jane, from having heard so much of her from you--affected to be greatly in your confidence--and, in fact, a.s.sumed the character of a friend cognizant of all your feelings and hopes, and ardently desiring, by every means in his power, to advance your views--"
"And was it thus he succeeded," I broke in.
""Twas thus he endeavoured to succeed," said Trevanion.
"Ah, with what success I but too well know" said I. "My uncle himself showed me a letter from Guy, in which he absolutely speaks of the affair as settled, and talks of Lady Jane as about to be his wife."
"That may be all quite true; but a little consideration of Guy"s tactics will show what he intended; for I find that he induced your uncle, by some representations of his, to make the most handsome proposals, with regard to the marriage, to the Callonbys; and that, to make the story short, nothing but the decided refusal of Lady Jane, who at length saw through his entire game prevented the match."
"And then she did refuse him," said I, with ill-repressed exultation.
"Of that there can be no doubt; for independently of all the gossip and quizzing upon the subject, to which Guy was exposed in the coteries, he made little secret of it himself--openly avowing that he did not consider a repulse a defeat, and that he resolved to sustain the siege as vigorously as ever."
However interested I felt in all Trevanion was telling me, I could not help falling into a train of thinking on my first acquaintance with the Callonbys. There are, perhaps, but few things more humiliating than the knowledge that any attention or consideration we have met with, has been paid us in mistake for another; and in the very proportion that they were prized before, are they detested when the truth is known to us.
To all the depressing influences these thoughts suggested, came the healing balm that Lady Jane was true to me--that she, at least, however others might be bia.s.sed by worldly considerations--that she cared for me --for myself alone. My reader (alas! for my character for judgment) knows upon how little I founded the conviction; but I have often, in these Confessions, avowed my failing, par excellence, to be a great taste for self-deception; and here was a capital occasion for its indulgence.
"We shall have abundant time to discuss this later on," said Trevanion, laying his hand upon my shoulder to rouse my wandering attention--"for now, I perceive, we have only eight minutes to spare."
As he spoke, a dragoon officer, in an undress, rode up to the window of the carriage, and looking steadily at our party for a few seconds, asked if we were "Messieurs les Anglais;" and, almost without waiting for reply, added, "You had better not go any farther in your carriage, for the next turn of the road will bring you in sight of the village."
We accordingly stopped the driver, and having (with) some difficulty aroused O"Leary, got out upon the road. The militaire here gave his horse to a groom, and proceeded to guide us through a corn-field by a narrow path, with whose windings and crossings he appeared quite conversant. We at length reached the brow of a little hill, from which an extended view of the country lay before us, showing the Seine winding its tranquil course between the richly tilled fields, dotted with many a pretty cottage. Turning abruptly from this point, our guide led us, by a narrow and steep path, into a little glen, planted with poplar and willows. A small stream ran through this, and by the noise we soon detected that a mill was not far distant, which another turning brought us at once in front of.
And here I cannot help dwelling upon the "tableau" which met our view. In the porch of the little rural mill sat two gentlemen, one of whom I immediately recognised as the person who had waited upon me, and the other I rightly conjectured to be my adversary. Before them stood a small table, covered with a spotless napkin, upon which a breakfast equipage was spread--a most inviting melon and a long, slender-necked bottle, reposing in a little ice-pail, forming part of the "materiel." My opponent was cooly enjoying his cigar--a half-finished cup of coffee lay beside him--his friend was occupied in examining the caps of the duelling pistols, which were placed upon a chair. No sooner had we turned the angle which brought us in view, than they both rose, and, taking off their hats with much courtesy, bade us good morning.
"May I offer you a cup of coffee," said Monsieur Derigny to me, as I came up, at the same time filling it out, and pushing over a little flask of Cogniac towards me.
A look from Trevanion decided my acceptance of the proferred civility, and I seated myself in the chair beside the baron. Trevanion meanwhile had engaged my adversary in conversation along with the stranger, who had been our guide, leaving O"Leary alone unoccupied, which, however, he did not long remain; for, although uninvited by the others, he seized a knife and fork, and commenced a vigorous attack upon a partridge pie near him; and, with equal absence of ceremony, uncorked the champaign and filled out a foaming goblet, nearly one-third of the whole bottle, adding-- "I think, Mr. Lorrequer, there"s nothing like showing them that we are just as cool and unconcerned as themselves."
If I might judge from the looks of the party, a happier mode of convincing them of our "free-and-easy" feelings could not possibly have been discovered. From any mortification this proceeding might have caused me, I was speedily relieved by Trevanion calling O"Leary to one side, while he explained to him that he must nominally act as second on the ground, as Trevanion, being a resident in Paris, might become liable to a prosecution, should any thing serious arise, while O"Leary, as a mere pa.s.ser through, could cross the frontier into Germany, and avoid all trouble.
O"Leary at once acceded--perhaps the more readily because he expected to be allowed to return to his breakfast--but in this he soon found himself mistaken, for the whole party now rose, and preceded by the baron, followed the course of the little stream.
After about five minutes" walking, we found ourselves at the outlet of the glen, which was formed by a large stone quarry, making a species of amphitheatre, with lofty walls of rugged granite, rising thirty or forty feet on either side of us. The ground was smooth and level as a boarded floor, and certainly to amateurs in these sort of matters, presented a most perfect spot for a "meeting."
The stranger who had just joined us, could not help remarking our looks of satisfaction at the choice of ground, and observed to me-- "This is not the first affair that this little spot has witnessed; and the moulinet of St. Cloud is, I think, the very best "meet" about Paris."
Trevanion who, during these few minutes, had been engaged with Derigny, now drew me aside.
"Well, Lorrequer, have you any recollection now of having seen your opponent before? or can you make a guess at the source of all this?"
"Never till this instant," said I, "have I beheld him," as I looked towards the tall, stoutly-built figure of my adversary, who was very leisurely detaching a cordon from his tightly fitting frock, doubtless to prevent its attracting my aim.
"Well, never mind, I shall manage every thing properly. What can you do with the small sword, for they have rapiers at the mill?"
"Nothing whatever; I have not fenced since I was a boy."
"N"importe--then we"ll fight at a barriere. I know they"re not prepared for that from Englishmen; so just step on one side now, and leave me to talk it over."
As the limited nature of the ground did not permit me to retire to a distance, I became involuntarily aware of a dialogue, which even the seriousness of the moment could scarcely keep me from laughing at outright.
It was necessary, for the sake of avoiding any possible legal difficulty in the result, that O"Leary should give his a.s.sent to every step of the arrangement; and being totally ignorant of French, Trevanion had not only to translate for him, but also to render in reply O"Leary"s own comments or objections to the propositions of the others.
"Then it is agreed--we fight at a barriere," said the Captain Derigny.