Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-06-28
GaIes and Sketfbes.
A SI6Hf or DISASTER
CONFINED from Yesterday

Confined from yesterday.
.'What !" said Berthe, in perfect sur
prise at the idea; ''you want to call me
out, because somebody else has insulted
somebody who isa friend of yours.''
''Senor." loftily replied the Spaniard,
who, unlike most Of his countrymen. spoke
excellent English, ian affront to the
Countess is an affront to me. There is
nobody else can appeal 10 for saiisfac-
lion but the President of this club. Alas
there is no President; so must come to
the Secretary-to you" with profound
bow.
''And what If | refuse to come out when
you call me out?" asked Berthe. blandly
Refuse . The idea had not occurred to
the foreigner. Refuse to fight a duel /.
Such Poltroonery was unimaginable. Yet
BERTHE did refuse. and was Of course backed
up in bis refusal by all the English MEM
beers of the club. who made the quarrel
with the Spaniard their own. Finally. he
Was Obliged TO satisfy himself with the
remark that ut must be an English Gus
tom, then, this insulting lady and re-
fnsiDg TO give satisfaction "A remark for
which BERTHE felt strongly inclined to kick
him down the stone steps Of the club.
Senior Garcia went away with an ugly
look in his eyes.
All this happened before the time that
Wilde made the acquaintance OF Helen
Graham, and therefore before he and
Senior Basil Garcia were. or could posi-
bly, be considered, rivals in love matters.
But il was an unfortunate thing that luck
should have made them enemies before
there was any real cause for it. All that
actually came of The black balling affair at
the time was that Garcia scowled at young
Wilde whenever he happened to meet
him, and Berthe. for about a month after
the challenge, carried revolver in his
pocket.
At about nine o'clock on the night of
one OF those hot August days of 1873,
BERTHE was seated in his studio.
The apartment was deliberately
and artisticaly decorated, but as gen
eral rule he did not patronize this room
except when he was actually painting.
Opening out of the studio was nicely
furnished sitting room. and this was his
usual habitat. However. tonight he was
ensconced in an easy chair in the studio,
and was rather astonshed when the pref
ty little femme de chambre appeared. and
announced that gentleman was below
and requested the honor Of an interview
with Mr.. Wilde"
ASK him to send up his card" said
BERTHE. and wondered which of his friends |
or what begging impostor wonld call on
him at that hour
Before the order could be executed, |
however. the visitor had stepped quickly |
and lightly into the room, and waved his |
hand loftily to dismiss the little chamber
maid, and closed the door after her him |
self Then he turned to Wilde. His ..get
up" was laultless, from top hat and cane |
held in his gloved left hand to curled
mustache and glossy silk cravat; and he |
was smiling blandly
IL was Garcia. Luckily for Berthe, his
non chalant nature prevented him starting
or showing any lively marks of surprise
lie rose from his seat. feeling-it must be
confessed-a little uncomfortable. and mo-
tioning to chair, begged his visitor to be
seated. But Garcia remained standing,
and he was still smiling; so Wilde stood
also.
''Senor will excuse the liberty" began
the Spaniard "but | have II message. a
letter. which | was requested to deliver to
your hands with my own. That is the |
reason OF my venturing to intrude at this
time" Then. as Berthe simply started
''Senor is surprised"
Excuse me. J." said BERTHE. recollectng
himself, lido sit down; you are welcome
at least" he went on, remembering the |
unpleasant incident connected with the
ballotng, the challenge. and the rivalry
for Helen, and feeling bound to speak |
forcibly, .'you must be aware, Senior. that |
cannot forget"
But Senior Garcia interrupted him. "All
that is gone. so far as is in my power to
obliterate the past. | beg you will let by
cones be bygones. have come here on |
a friendly mission. May trust that Sc
nor will receive me rs friend ?''
Willingly" said BERTHE; but he still |
felt, in spite of himself. suspicious of this
fair-spoken rival who had wished to make |
a target of him, and who now had excel |
lent additional reasons for bearing him
ill-will.
Then Garcia disclosed his mission. He |
was the bearer of letter from the Coun- |
tess. in which that aristocratic and in
suited lady played most Christian and |
forgiving part. She had heard-so she |
wrote-of the unhappy quarrel between
Senior Garcia, one of her best friends. and
Monsieur Wilde, the distinguished |
English gentleman and artist. She could |
not allow herself-though she still felt
deeply the affront put upon her by some
obscure member of the Antilles Club-to |
be source of emnity, and-alas per-
haps even duels. between two such gem
tlemen. and she begged to assure NJ. Wilde
that she had no knowledge of the chal-
lenge till few days ago. She had at
once begged Senior Garcia to drop the |
matter. as far as she was concerned, and
she should be happy If she could be the
means of reconciling two persons so well |
worthy of her esteem and of mutual friend |
ship; and she begged to subscribe herself
&C., &c.
What was BERTHE to think of this strange
mssiveP What was the Countess to him,
or he to the Countess? "Deuce take it."
he thought to himself. .does she think I'm
going to prosecute her for poisoning her
husband ?'' But he obviously had nothing
to do now but to accept the missive in the
spirit in which it was, or appeared to be,
written. So he assured Senior Garcia. that
he had never felt any unfriendly feelings,