the queen of hearts-第25章

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not　yet　succeeded　in　discovering　his　remains。　Try　to　pass　over；
for　the　present；　whatever　may　seem　extraordinary　and
incomprehensible　in　such　a　purpose　as　mine　is；　and　read　this
newspaper　article　where　the　ink…line　is　traced。　It　is　the　only
evidence　hitherto　obtained　on　the　subject　of　the　fatal　duel　in
which　my　uncle　fell；　and　I　want　to　hear　what　course　of　proceeding
the　perusal　of　it　may　suggest　to　you　as　likely　to　be　best　on　my
part。〃

He　handed　me　an　old　French　newspaper。　The　substance　of　what　I
read　there　is　still　so　firmly　impressed　on　my　memory　that　I　am
certain　of　being　able　to　repeat　correctly　at　this　distance　of
time　all　the　facts　which　it　is　necessary　for　me　to　communicate　to
the　reader。

The　article　began；　I　remember；　with　editorial　remarks　on　the
great　curiosity　then　felt　in　regard　to　the　fatal　duel　between　the
Count　St。　Lo　and　Mr。　Stephen　Monkton；　an　English　gentleman。　The
writer　proceeded　to　dwell　at　great　length　on　the　extraordinary
secrecy　in　which　the　whole　affair　had　been　involved　from　first　to
last；　and　to　express　a　hope　that　the　publication　of　a　certain
manuscript；　to　which　his　introductory　observations　referred；
might　lead　to　the　production　of　fresh　evidence　from　other　and
better…informed　quarters。　The　manuscript　had　been　found　among　the
papers　of　Monsieur　Foulon；　Mr。　Monkton's　second；　who　had　died　at
Paris　of　a　rapid　decline　shortly　after　returning　to　his　home　in
that　city　from　the　scene　of　the　duel。　The　document　was
unfinished；　having　been　left　incomplete　at　the　very　place　where
the　reader　would　most　wish　to　find　it　continued。　No　reason　could
be　discovered　for　this；　and　no　second　manuscript　bearing　on　the
all…important　subject　had　been　found；　after　the　strictest　search
among　the　papers　left　by　the　deceased。

The　document　itself　then　followed。

It　purported　to　be　an　agreement　privately　drawn　up　between　Mr。
Monkton's　second；　Monsieur　Foulon；　and　the　Count　St。　Lo's　second；
Monsieur　Dalville；　and　contained　a　statement　of　all　the
arrangements　for　conducting　the　duel。　The　paper　was　dated
〃Naples；　February　22d；〃　and　was　divided　into　some　seven　or　eight
clauses。　The　first　clause　described　the　origin　and　nature　of　the
quarrela　very　disgraceful　affair　on　both　sides；　worth　neither
remembering　nor　repeating。　The　second　clause　stated　that；　the
challenged　man　having　chosen　the　pistol　as　his　weapon；　and　the
challenger　（an　excellent　swordsman）；　having；　on　his　side；
thereupon　insisted　that　the　duel　should　be　fought　in　such　a
manner　as　to　make　the　first　fire　decisive　in　its　results；　the
seconds；　seeing　that　fatal　consequences　must　inevitably　follow
the　hostile　meeting；　determined；　first　of　all；　that　the　duel
should　be　kept　a　profound　secret　from　everybody；　and　that　the
place　where　it　was　to　be　fought　should　not　be　made　known
beforehand；　even　to　the　principals　themselves。　It　was　added　that
this　excess　of　precaution　had　been　rendered　absolutely　necessary
in　consequence　of　a　recent　address　from　the　Pope　to　the　ruling
powers　in　Italy　commenting　on　the　scandalous　frequency　of　the
practice　of　dueling；　and　urgently　desiring　that　the　laws　against
duelists　should　be　enforced　for　the　future　with　the　utmost　rigor。

The　third　clause　detailed　the　manner　in　which　it　had　been
arranged　that　the　duel　should　be　fought。

The　pistols　having　been　loaded　by　the　seconds　on　the　ground；　the
combatants　were　to　be　placed　thirty　paces　apart；　and　were　to　toss
up　for　the　first　fire。　The　man　who　won　was　to　advance　ten　paces
marked　out　for　him　beforehandand　was　then　to　discharge　his
pistol。　If　he　missed；　or　failed　to　disable　his　opponent；　the
latter　was　free　to　advance；　if　he　chose；　the　whole　remaining
twenty　paces　before　he　fired　in　his　turn。　This　arrangement
insured　the　decisive　termination　of　the　duel　at　the　first
discharge　of　the　pistols；　and　both　principals　and　seconds　pledged
themselves　on　either　side　to　abide　by　it。

The　fourth　clause　stated　that　the　seconds　had　agreed　that　the
duel　should　be　fought　out　of　the　Neapolitan　States；　but　left
themselves　to　be　guided　by　circumstances　as　to　the　exact　locality
in　which　it　should　take　place。　The　remaining　clauses；　so　far　as　I
remember　them；　were　devoted　to　detailing　the　different
precautions　to　be　adopted　for　avoiding　discovery。　The　duelists
and　their　seconds　were　to　leave　Naples　in　separate　parties；　were
to　change　carriages　several　times；　were　to　meet　at　a　certain
town；　or；　failing　that；　at　a　certain　post…house　on　the　high　road
from　Naples　to　Rome；　were　to　carry　drawing…books；　color　boxes；
and　camp…stools；　as　if　they　had　been　artists　out　on　a
sketching…tour；　and　were　to　proceed　to　the　place　of　the　duel　on
foot；　employing　no　gui　des；　for　fear　of　treachery。　Such　general
arrangements　as　these；　and　others　for　facilitating　the　flight　of
the　survivors　after　the　affair　was　over；　formed　the　conclusion　of
this　extraordinary　document；　which　was　signed；　in　initials　only；
by　both　the　seconds。

Just　below　the　initials　appeared　the　beginning　of　a　narrative；
dated　〃Paris；〃　and　evidently　intended　to　describe　the　duel　itself
with　extreme　minuteness。　The　hand…writing　was　that　of　the
deceased　second。

Monsieur　Foulon；　tire　gentleman　in　question；　stated　his　belief
that　circumstances　might　transpire　which　would　render　an　account
by　an　eyewitness　of　the　hostile　meeting　between　St。　Lo　and　Mr。
Monkton　an　important　document。　He　proposed；　therefore；　as　one　of
the　seconds；　to　testify　that　the　duel　had　been　fought　in　exact
accordance　with　the　terms　of　the　agreement；　both　the　principals
conducting　themselves　like　men　of　gallantry　and　honor　（！）。　And　he
further　announced　that；　in　order　not　to　compromise　any　one；　he
should　place　the　paper　containing　his　testimony　in　safe　hands；
with　strict　directions　that　it　was　on　no　account　to　be　opened
except　in　a　case　of　the　last　emergency。

After　thus　preamble；　Monsieur　Foulon　related　that　the　duel　had
been　fought　two　days　after　the　drawing　up　of　the　agreement；　in　a
locality　to　which　accident　had　conducted　the　dueling　party。　（The
name　of　the　place　was　not　mentioned；　nor　even　the　neighborhood　in
which　it　was　situated。）　The　men　having　been　placed　according　to
previous　arrangement；　the　Count　St。　Lo　had　won　the　toss　for　the
first　fire；　had　advanced　his　ten　paces；　and　had　shot　his　opponent
in　the　body。　Mr。　Monkton　did　not　immediately　fall；　but　staggered
forward　some　six　or　seven　paces；　discharged　his　pistol
ineffectually　at　the　count；　and　dropped　to　the　ground　a　dead　man。
Monsieur　Foulon　then　stated　that　he　tore　a　leaf　from　his
pocketbook；　wrote　on　it　a　brief　description　of　the　manner　in
which　Mr。　Monkton　had　died；　and　pinned　the　paper　to　his　clothes；
this　proceeding　having　been　rendered　necessary　by　the　peculiar
nature　of　the　plan　organized　on　the　spot　for　safely　disposing　of
the　dead　body。　What　this　plan　was；　or　what　was　done　with　the
corpse；　did　not　appear；　for　at　this　important　point　the　narrative
abruptly　broke　off。

A　foot…note　in　the　newspaper　merely　stated　the　manner　in　which
the　document　had　been　obtained　for　publication；　and　repeated　the
announcement　contained　in　the　editor's　introductory　remarks；　that
no　continuation　had　been　found　by　the　persons　intrusted　with　the
care　of　Monsieur　Foulon's　papers。　I　have　now　given　the　whole
substance　of　what　I　read；　and　have　mentioned　all　that　was　then
known　of　Mr。　Stephen　Monkton's　death。

When　I　gave　the　newspaper　back　to　Alfred　he　was　too　much　agitated
to　speak；　but　he　reminded　me　by　a　sign　that　he　was　anxiously
waiting　to　hear　what　I　had　to　say。　My　position　was　a　very　trying
and　a　very　painful　one。　I　could　hardly　tell　what　consequences
might　not　follow　any　want　of　caution　on　my　part；　and　could　think
at　first　of　no　safer　plan　than　questioning　him　carefully　before　I
committed　myself　either　one　way　or　the　other。

〃Will　you　excuse　me　if　I　ask　you　a　question　or　two　before　I　give
you　my　advice？〃　said　I。

He　nodded　impatiently。

〃Yes；　yesany　questions　you　like。〃

〃Were　you　at　any　time　in　the　habit　of　seeing　your　uncle
frequently？〃

〃I　never　saw　him　more　than　twice　in　my　lifeon　each　occasion
when　I　was　a　mere　child。〃

〃Then　you　could　have　had　no　very　strong　personal　regard　for　him？〃

'Regard　for　him！　I　should　have　been　ashamed　to　feel　any　regard
for　him。　He　disgraced　us　wherever　he　went。〃

〃May　I　ask　if　any　family　motive　is　involved　in　your　anxiety　to
recover　his　remains？〃

〃Family　motives　may　enter　into　it　among　othersbut　why　do　you
ask？〃

〃Because；　having　heard　that　you　employ　the　police　to　assist　your
search；　I　was　anxious　to　know　whether　you　had　stimulated　their
superiors　to　make　them　do　their　best　in　your　service　by　giving
some　strong　personal　reasons　at　headquarters　for　the　very　unusual
project　which　has　brought　you　here。〃

〃I　give　no　reasons。　I　pay　for　the　work　I　want　done；　and；　in
return　for　my　liberality；　I　am　treated　with　the　most　infamous
indifference　on　all　sides。　A　stranger　in　the　country；　and　badly
acquainted　with　the　language；　I　can　do　nothing　to　help　myself。
The　authorities；　both　at　Rome　and　in　this　place；　pretend　to
assist　me；　pretend　to　search　and　inquire　as　I　would　have　them
search　and　inquire；　and　do　nothing　more。　I　am　insulted；　laughed
at；　almost　to　my　face。〃

〃Do　you　not　think　it　possiblemind；　I　have　no　wish　to　excuse　the
misconduct　of　the　authorities；　and　do　not　share　in　any　such
opinion　myselfbut　do　you　not　think　it　likely　that　the　police
may　doubt　whether　you　are　in　earnest？〃

〃Not　in　earnest！〃　he　cried；　starting　up　and　confronting　me
fiercely；　with　wild　eyes　and　quickened　breath。　〃Not　in　earnest！
_You_　think　I'm　not　in　earnest　too。　I　know　you　think　it；　though
you　tell　me　you　don't。　Stop；　before　we　say　another　word；　your　own
eyes　shall　convince　you。　Come　hereonly　for　a　minuteonly　for
one　minute！〃

I　followed　him　into　his　bedroom；　which　opened　out　of　the
sitting…room。　At　one　side　of　his　bed　stood　a　large　packing…case
of　plain　wood；　upward　of　seven　feet　in　length。

〃Open　the　lid　and　look　in；〃　he　said；　〃while　I　hold　the　candle　so
that　you　can　see。〃

I　obeyed　his　directions；　and　discovered　to　my　astonishment　that
the　packing…case　contained　a　leaden　coffin；　magnificently
emblazoned　with　the　arms　of　the　Monkton　family；　and　inscribed　in
old…fashioned　letters　with　the　name　of　〃Stephen　Monkton；〃　his　age
and　the　manner　of　his　death　being　added　underneath。

〃I　keep　his　coffin　ready　for　him；〃　whispered　Alfred；　close　at　my
ear。　〃Does　that　look　like　earnest？〃

It　looked　more　like　insanityso　like　that　I　shrank　from
answering　him。

〃Yes！　yes！　I　see　you　are　convinced；〃　he　continued　quickly；　〃we
may　go　back　into　the　next　room；　and　may　talk　without　restraint　on
either　side　now。〃

On　returning　to　our　places；　I　mechanically　moved　my　chair　away
from　the　table。　My　mind　was　by　this　time　in　such　a　state　of
confusion　and　uncertainty　about　what　it　would　be　best　for　me　to
say　or　do　next；　that　I　forgot　for　the　moment　the　position　he　had
assigned　to　me　when　we　lit　the　candles。　He　reminded　me　of　this
directly。

〃Don't　move　away；〃　he　said；　very　earnestly；　〃keep　on　sitting　in
the　light；　pray　do！　I'll　soon　tell　you　why　I　am　so　particular
about　that。　But　first　give　me　your　advice；　help　me　in　my　great
distress　and　suspense。　Remember；　you　promised　me　you　would。〃

I　mad