drew, when my unexpected visitor proceeded to open his commission. This was, he informed me, to place in my hand a letter from his friend Captain Fortescue of the ** Dragoons, who felt himself compelled to call upon me for an explanation of my conduct towards a young lady of rank, with whose family he was intimately connected, and announced himself as deputed by his aforesaid friend, to arrange with any friend of mine the time and place of meeting. Having delivered himself to this effect, the Captain quietly proffered me the billet alluded to, and, retiring to the other side of the room, amused himself by reconnoitring through his eyeglass a Dutch Fair, by Teniers, that hung against the wall, leaving me at full leisure to peruse the agreeable despatch of which he was the bearer. "SIR,It is with painful reluctance that I yield to the dictates of an imperious and irresistible necessity, which forces me to the performance of a task the most revolt ing to my nature. An interview of the kind I am compelled to demand of you, is at all times a matter to be deprecated, and is rendered doubly distressing when, in seeking it, I feel that I am repaying benefit with injury, by aiming at a life which has been risked to preserve my own. A miserable destiny, however, which I am unable to control, will have it so, and forces me to be ungrateful rather than perjured. Be assured, sir, no merely human power could have swayed me to the performance of an act which I detest; but Fate wills it, and I bow to the decree. My friend, who honours me by conveying this to your hands, is fully authorized to make every arrangement requisite; and I have only to add, that the earlier the hour may be that suits your convenience, the more desirable it will be to "EUSTACE FORTESCUE. "C. Stafford, Esq. &c. &c." "my gallant friend," moving away from the picture, and planting himself vis-a-vis to me, while his heightened complexion evinced the offence he took at my interogatory. Simply, sir," replied I, "because I cannot conceive that any man in his senses would think of sending such a letter as this which I hold in my hand to a man who knows no more of him than of Harry the Eighth, nor has ever so much as seen him in the course of his life. He talks of benefits which I never can have conferred, and regrets being obliged to seek the life of one who has never given the slightest cause of offence, either to the lady you have alluded to, or to himself." "These are matters of which I am no judge, sir," said Maberly coldly, nor do I pretend to explain what the motives may be which, as he says, compel Captain Fortescue to adopt the line of conduct he is pursuing. I have no doubt of their sufficiency, nor do I question either the soundness of his intellect, or his honour." "But, sir," returned I, heartily provoked at the turn this affair seemed likely to take, "if your principal indeed seeks redress for any insult offered to Miss Stafford, I am not the person to whom he should apply." "I believe I am addressing Mr Charles Stafford!" was his reply, accompanied with a look of mingled doubt and surprise. Undoubtedly you are, sir, but Charles Stafford is as incapable of offering insult to a lady as Captain Fortescue or yourself." "With that, sir, I must repeat, I can have nothing to do; my business is simply to ascertain whether you will favour my friend with the meeting he desires-I am not here to discuss its propriety. I cannot help observing, however, that you do not appear altogether unacquainted with the lady whose cause he advocates, a lady whose name certainly never passed my lips." Mighty civil, upon my word!" "That Miss Stafford has been I half uttered to myself, as I refolded protected by Captain Fortescue the note; then, in a louder tone, "A from a most audacious and unprinmost singular invitation indeed!-cipled attempt I am unquestionably Pray, sir, is your friend mad?" aware; the only thing which I mean to deny is that I have been at all concerned in it." "What, sir, can possibly induce you to doubt his sanity?" returned The features of Maberly assumed an expression of incredulity, not unmixed with contempt for what he plainly considered the pusillanimity of my conduct, in denying all participation in a transaction, now that it was no longer likely to pass unquestioned-There was no misunderstanding the meaning which his eye conveyed, and I continued with the indignation to which its glance gave birth-" Thus far, Captain Maberly, I have spoken to vindicate myself against unfounded aspersion; if you attribute my so doing to any other motive than that which I have avowed, you are widely mistaken. The tongue, however, is not the only weapon with which I am prepared to defend my reputation when attacked, and you may inform your principal that, if he considers this declaration insufficient, I have not the slightest reluctance to grant him the meeting he requires, when and wherever he pleases." "When a difference of this kind exists," returned my companion, "the sooner it is adjusted the better for all parties. To-morrow morning, therefore, if you have no objection, my friend will expect the favour of your company, at seven, near the ruined chapel in the next parish; the situation is a retired one, and little liable to interruption." "Rely on my punctuality, Captain Maberly." "Mr Charles Stafford, your most obadient!" he replied, resuming his hat, and putting on his gloves with the air of a man taking leave after a visit of ceremony; then, with a slight bend, which seemed to intimate that my acceptance of his proposal had somewhat redeemed me in his opinion, he moved towards the door. I rang the bell, and attended him to the hall, where we separated, he to acquaint his principal with the result of his embassy, I to make such arrangements as the time would admit of for meeting my unknown antagonist in the field, and to execute some other measures which the uncertainty of the coming event rendered it advisable for me to set about forthwith. To procure the assistance of a friend, who might accompany me to the scene of action, and officiate as my second, was become indispen sable. This, therefore, was my first care. I could have wished that Al- * lanby, on whose honour and friendship I placed the greatest reliance, might have been the person, but this was out of the question; the distance was too great to admit of my applying to him; he was still, as I believed, in London, and the shortness of the time which must elapse before the decision of our quarrel preclu ded the possibility of a communication being made to him with any chance of success. I therefore turned my thoughts towards the neighbouring garrison, with many of the officers belonging to which I was on sufficient terms of intimacy to warrant a request that they would do me the favour to see me shot properly. The very first man to whom I applied, a young lieutenant who had been in the habit of accompanying me on shooting parties of a different description in the course of the preceding winter, willingly undertook the task; and this, the first object of my solicitude, being provided for, I had leisure to turn my attention to matters of scarcely less importance. To write to my mother-the last communication she might ever receive from a son, whom, even when she believed him to be stigmatized and branded with justly deserved opprobrium and dishonour, she yet found it impossible to banish from her affections! The task was indeed a severe one; a thousand conflicting emotions warred in my bosom, and rendered me scarcely capable of carrying it into execution; my letter was however at length finished, and contained, of course, an absolute disavowal, on my part, of the whole of the conduct imputed to me by Lord Manningham, the full per suasion I felt that my name had been assumed for the most infamous of purposes, together with a detail of such facts as, in the event of my not surviving the approaching contest, might tend to elucidate the mystery, and rescue my memory from the discredit which might otherwise attach to it, should I fall a victim to the artifices of an impostor, and to what, an internal voice began to whisper, was a mistaken sense of honour. That my letter contained also assurances of the warmest love and affection, I need hardly say; the re my first hat Al riend ance this ce a moment the resolution I had former ed of meeting my incomprehensible ties from antagonist. Not that I was altogether denied free from some rather unpleasantsen mooglere and sations more purely selfish, wieni cunteady considered the situation in which a despede few short hours might place me, and tea atsed the more than questionable propost and forely ter tion how far I might be justified, in which seeds thus exposing my own life and aiming ed er ge at that of another, before that Almighed slowly and ty Being, whose denunciations against stanse which commente the crime of murder I could not shut the offices, and drough out from my memory. In vain did I the part encourage myself by the argument without detrating that, as the usages of civilized society mates of the mansion, extend the principle of self-defence in deep dreamed from our persons to our reputation, and on which al I was as much authorized to protect from the babication of y that which was dearer to me than life as to defend my life itself; a ing the wintowe of my t voice, stronger than that of the apartment caught my world, told me I was wrong. The brilliancy of the morning awakening tones of conscience, which fell full on dem which I would fain have silenced scarce observable the faint had it been in my power, wamed me ings of the watch light within of the fallacy of my reasoning, and gleanings of which w thundered in my ear, "Thou shalt bursting into momentary not kill." Pride, that sin by which fell seemed as announce that the angels, and a false shame, the sinking in the socker coo dread of what the world would say, and be no more still drove me on to disregard it whispered, may be the Sa faithful admonitions, and crushed nure of my own exatonen er the nascent intention of even yet my mother, indeed the avoiding to dip my hand in blood, fat has gone forth while it presented to my view myself tempers the wind a mark for scorn to point its slow lamb support thee in and moving finger at a wretched trial, and, by the Bee object loaded with the contempt and future meeting age it was too late! The die was thrown, who now invokes dig derision of all who knew me. No! cy of thy grief for the and I must stand the hazard of the he, from his inmoet s a n an er of sa Beco able. st of ured t and abou The features of Maberly assumed an expression of incredulity, not unmixed with contempt for what he plainly considered the pusillanimity of my conduct, in denying all participation in a transaction, now that it was no longer likely to pass unquestioned-There was no misunderstanding the meaning which his eye conveyed, and I continued with the indignation to which its glance gave birth-" Thus far, Captain Maberly, I have spoken to vindicate myself against unfounded aspersion; if you attribute my so doing to any other motive than that which I have avowed, you are widely mistaken. The tongue, however, is not the only weapon with which I am prepared to defend my reputation when attacked, and you may inform your principal that, if he considers this declaration insufficient, I have not the slightest reluctance to grant him the meeting he requires, when and wherever he pleases." "When a difference of this kind exists," returned my companion, "the sooner it is adjusted the better for all parties. To-morrow morning, therefore, if you have no objection, my friend will expect the favour of your company, at seven, near the ruined chapel in the next parish; the situation is a retired one, and little liable to interruption." "Rely on my punctuality, Captain Maberly." "Mr Charles Stafford, your most obadient!" he replied, resuming his hat, and putting on his gloves with the air of a man taking leave after a visit of ceremony; then, with a slight bend, which seemed to intimate that my acceptance of his proposal had somewhat redeemed me in his opinion, he moved towards the door. I rang the bell, and attended him to the hall, where we separated, he to acquaint his principal with the result of his embassy, I to make such arrangements as the time would admit of for meeting my unknown antagonist in the field, and to execute some other measures which the uncertainty of the coming event rendered it advisable for me to set about forthwith. To procure the assistance of a friend, who might accompany me to the scene of action, and officiate as my second, was become indispen sable. This, therefore, was my first care. I could have wished that Allanby, on whose honour and friendship I placed the greatest reliance, might have been the person, but this was out of the question; the distance was too great to admit of my applying to him; he was still, as I believed, in London, and the shortness of the time which must elapse before the decision of our quarrel preclu ded the possibility of a communica tion being made to him with any chance of success. I therefore turned my thoughts towards the neighbouring garrison, with many of the officers belonging to which I was on sufficient terms of intimacy to warrant a request that they would do me the favour to see me shot properly. The very first man to whom I applied, a young lieutenant who had been in the habit of accompanying me on shooting parties of a different description in the course of the preceding winter, willingly undertook the task; and this, the first object of my solicitude, being provided for, I had leisure to turn my attention to matters of scarcely less importance. To write to my mother-the last communication she might ever receive from a son, whom, even when she believed him to be stigmatized and branded with justly deserved opprobrium and dishonour, she yet found it impossible to banish from her affections! The task was indeed a severe one; a thousand conflicting emotions warred in my bosom, and rendered me scarcely capable of carrying it into execution; my letter was however at length finished, and contained, of course, an absolute disavowal, on my part, of the whole of the conduct imputed to me by Lord Manningham, the full per suasion I felt that my name had been assumed for the most infamous of purposes, together with a detail of such facts as, in the event of my not surviving the approaching contest, might tend to elucidate the mystery, and rescue my memory from the discredit which might otherwise attach to it, should I fall a victim to the artifices of an impostor, and to what, an internal voice began to whisper, was a mistaken sense of honour. That my letter contained also assurances of the warmest love and affection, I need hardly say; the re membrance of all my mother's fondness, her more than maternal kindness from my earliest infancy-the reflection that the step I was about to take might deprive her, at once and for ever, of the only solace of her declining years, the only hope of her widowed heart-that my falling in the encounter would too surely shake out with an unhallowed hand the few remaining sands that yet lingered in Time's failing hour-glass, and "bring down her grey hairs with sorrow to the grave"-all conspired to unman me, and shook for a moment the resolution I had formed of meeting my incomprehensible antagonist. Not that I was altogether free from some rather unpleasant sensations more purely selfish, when I considered the situation in which a few short hours might place me, and the more than questionable proposition how far I might be justified, in thus exposing my own life and aiming at that of another, before that Almighty Being, whose denunciations against the crime of murder I could not shut out from my memory. In vain did I encourage myself by the argument that, as the usages of civilized society extend the principle of self-defence from our persons to our reputation, I was as much authorized to protect that which was dearer to me than life as to defend my life itself; a voice, stronger than that of the world, told me I was wrong. The awakening tones of conscience, which I would fain have silenced had it been in my power, warned me of the fallacy of my reasoning, and thundered in my ear, "Thou shalt not kill." Pride, that sin by which fell the angels, and a false shame, the dread of what the world would say, still drove me on to disregard its faithful admonitions, and crushed the nascent intention of even yet avoiding to dip my hand in blood, while it presented to my view myself a mark for scorn 66 to point its slow and moving finger at," a wretched object loaded with the contempt and derision of all who knew me. No! it was too late! The die was thrown, and I must stand the hazard of the cast. With burning temples, and an aching heart, I retired to my room without daring to trust myself again in my mother's presence, and, throwing myself on the bed, endeavoured to lose in the forgetfulness of slum ber the hours which must revolve before that in which Armitage had appointed to be with me. Sleep, however, which I had hitherto rarely courted in vain, refused to visit my eyelids with her tranquillizing influence, and the grey tints of twilight, fast flying before a sun that rose in unclouded majesty, saw me pressing my disordered pillow in feverish restlessness. I got up and unclosed the window; the fragrance of morning-of the last morning on which I might ever inhale it-revived me; I resolved to seek, in the open air, and in activity, that refuge from my own thoughts denied me in the more confined atmosphere and retirement of my chamber. Hastily arranging my dress, I placed on the toilet the letter I had addressed to my mother, and, forcibly smothering a pang which seized me as the action recalled her image to my mind, descended slowly and cautiously a back staircase which communicated with the offices, and through them with the park. My purpose was effected without disturbing any of the inmates of the mansion, who, buried in sleep, dreamed not of the unholy errand on which I stole, like a thief, from the habitation of my fathers. As I turned an angle of the building, the windows of my mother's apartment caught my eye. The brilliancy of the morning sunbeams, which fell full upon them, rendered scarce observable the faint flickerings of the watch-light within, the gleamings of which, now weak, now bursting into momentary brightness, seemed to announce that it was fast sinking in the socket, soon to expire and be no more. "And such," I whispered, " may be the brief tenure of my own existence here! Oh, my mother, if indeed the irrevocable fiat has gone forth, may He who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb' support thee in the hour of trial, and, by the blessed hope of a future meeting, assuage the poignan. cy of thy grief for the loss of one, who now invokes thy blessing, as he, from his inmost soul, implores a blessing upon thee!" A shadow passed across the room between the light and the curtains, and seemed to be approaching the window. Nothing doubting but that it was Martha, who remained in attendance |