Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-04-14
AFTER THE DUEL.

swered him no more. Breathlessly he bent
forward between the group Of seconds and
doctors-four seconds in all, doctor for
each principal wishing to see for himself,
but not daring to go farther
Again he stammered low:
Il beseech you, tell me! 1t is slight, is it
not-only slight woand2"
Still they were silent. In that dumbness
OF all, even the friends that had stood BY
him, he OWNED unspoken reprobation-
maybe a duh anger
Alas he recalled for himself now, that
the blade had gone to the hilt; he had felt
1t, felt it gliding through the flesh But
the point, perhaps, had struck a bone,
which stopped it there! And hope revived
within him
But then why did they answer him moth
ing2 Why then did they crowd with such
eager attention about him that had fallen,
with hanging arms and staring eyes?
Suddenly a deep breath from the doctors
-"DeadP'-and that group with out
stretched hands recoiied He was nearly
thrown down by the push, as if they chased
him away, unwilling even to look upon his
face
Dead deadw repeated he, with cries
like the howlings Of a frantic beast, and
then he began TO run through the garden
that mutual friend had proffered for the
duel, knocking his brow against the tree
trunks, but insensible TO the shock; on
through the courtyard and out upon the
shaded road, sword in hand
He had the air, running thus along the
water S edge, OF aCriminal evading pursuit
30 hurried was his flight, 50 furtive, with
elbows glued to his hips and head bowed
down. What had he done with the bloody
"a
thicket, he did not know which.
He fled with but one clear thought, with
but one clear desire-to be far, farther and
always farther away from that place where
he had killed a mani
By force Of running, his breath at last
failed him; he could run no more, but fell
to the grass beside the tOwpath. There, ia
enforced immobility. his scattered senses
came back TO him; grew coherent, and he
comprehend with horror all that had
taken place
He whom he had killed in this duel was
his friend, his best and oldest friend. Chill
dren together in a suburban quarter, they
had played together in the road; lads to
gether, they had found themselves at the
city college, working and frolicing to
gether still, and seeing no one but each
other.
Then students together in Paris, in Bo-
hemian youth of loves without "A morrow,
Of miseries without sorrow, of happy strOlls
in the Clancart woods with girls that
laughed all the afternoon and with whom,
when evening came, they returned afoot
for lack of means TO lire "A carriage; Of
nights dining on credit, wherever they
could get it, and of sleeping wherever they
could put their heads-inseparable com
panions always and carried away always by
the same folly!
But then they had not always staid
mad. Age brought peaceful labOrs and
serious thoughts; but love for each other,
that was still extravagant, a camaraderie
Of unbroken friendship, united ambitions,
joint chimeras, mutual working together
70 enrich themselves, and the greatest
happiness Of each the knowledge that each
had succeeded and was as happy as him
self
Then she appeared
She, the adorable and adoredl And even
in this moment Of frightful anguish he
recalled with throb OF ecstasy the time
be had seen her first, a young girl hur
riedly lowering a window shade, but not
so quickly that he had not recognized all
the heaven in her eyes
1t was on a trip TO a city where he knew
no one that he saw her, thus behind the
glass, but, no matter how, he found
means Of presenting himself to the two old
people with whom she lived, she, an orphan
whom they had taken in for charity
sake.
Eli? She was poor, then? Yes, but what
mattered that, since she was 50 pretty, 20
honest and 50 sweet that one believed On
approaching her that one was passing a
near but invisible thcket Of chronicles.
She loved him, he married her and inn
mediately, provincial born as she was, she
became, in the luXuries Of her toileu and
art, an exquisite Parisienne. For a long |
long time, then, he possessed the double |
and Incompatible Joy Of having for wife I
the most charming Of women, and for com !
rade, guest or host the dearest and most I
loyal Of friends.
Yes, as | say, long, long time, till that /
hideOus evening when he opened a door I
suddenly TO find them-kissing each other
with rapturous pleasure.
Why, with teen and nails had he not I
thrown himself upon them then and there, F.
and torn, bit and killed them2 Because f.
the stupefaction Of the disaster rendered /
helpless in him the avenuine power; be- /
cause he was as one nOneXistent in the be /.
wilderment Of his sorrow, and when be /.
sought to leap forward he fell like a log 10 /
the floor
Only next day he came to himself with /
cries Of jealous rage that he had allowed |
him TO escape, since he was unable 10 [
strangle her His seconds had been dis /
patched at once TO the disloyat one who /
had robbed him Of his all.
As for her, the culprit, though he did /
not see her again, he felt no anger against |
her He had loved her too much to be I
able 10 hate her He sought and found ex- /
cuses for her. II she had turned from him /
it was because he had not known how 10 /
make her love for him continue; and II she I
did love another IL was because she was |
unable to keep herself from loving him.
She was not Of those who betray their |
duties for kiss without tenderness. Only ]
true love had forced her to the fault. 1
Very cartainlv be wnnld no more tnuch |