The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-05-11
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much, that I ought to tell the whole
truth. When the wine appeared, the
guests turned to it as a relief from the
awl<wardness of the situation. I pre-
sumo everybody drank too much; am
certain that I did. will except Bos-
took. He sat pale, rigid and silent
through it all. The guests departed
early, with hardly an effort to make
the usual compliments to the host.
The next morning was hardly out
of bed when Pierce Bostock walked in.
He looked as stern and white as when
he was denouncing Castex at his own
table.
"Well, he's challenged you,'' was my
salutation.
"No. shall challenge him. Here's
the note. Take it to him, and then
go to the man that he names as his
friend''
I was thunderstruck. l tried to re-
monstrate with him. told him that,
so far as an outsider could Judge, if
anybody had cause to send challenge,
it was Castex. I begged him to tell
me, in the strict confidence of friend
ship, what the language was that
Castex had uttered to HIM. told him
that could not act intelligently for
him in this matter, unless I was adj
vised. He peremptorily refused to tell
me.
"You have been my friend, Dorion,' -
he said. ''When I say to you that no
human being must know my cause of
ofense, you will believe that there is
the best of reason for my silence. Ma
poleon Castex knows, no man better
knows, the nature of his offense. He
knows me, also; and he understands
that if he were to lisp a hint of my
reasons for challenging him, would
seek him and shoot him down like a
dog! Don't argue with me, Alfred
Dorion; tell you the man is cold
blooded scoundrel; he has sought me
out to force a quarrel upon me, and
there are the best of reasons why the
affair must go on
There was nothing for me to do but
to deliver the challenge. I found Cas-
tex cool, polite and consenting.
There is not one of my name,'' he
said, with his marked French accent,
| gentleman to meet him on the field of
honor. NJ. Bostock thinks him
self insulted. Some might think that
l was. No matter; here is his chal-
lenge. Take it to my dear Alphonse;
he will arrange everything with you.
| only say to you, that my remark to
NJ. Bostock was the truth. He knows
it to be the truth; and he has not the
grace to see that put it in the Ian
guage of la belle France, that others
might not understand it. So much you
may tell him, if you choose
The affair went on to it's frightful
end. Nobody could discover the truth
Basnet tried his best to make his man
divulge the cause of offense, but in
vain.
Il only told him the truth, and told
it in French, that it might not be
heard by others. After I have fought
him, I will tell it very loudly, in your
harsh English, do you be sure. Mean
while, l am quite willing to fight him.
I knew him long before you did,
The wound that Pierce Bostock re-
ceived was as nearly fatal as a wound
can be and leave the victim alive. The
ball traversed his lung; nothing but
the extraordinary skill of the doctor
saved him. The doctor had served in
the Mexican war, and happened to wit
ness the successful operation of a
Mexican surgeon upon similar wound
of Gen. Shields, by cleansing it with a
silk handkerchief. In this way Bos-
tock's life was saved; but the fever that
followed confined him to his bed for
weeks, drained his strength, and left
him only the shadow of his former self.
His affection for his daughter seemed
doubled, if that were possible, by this
dreadful experience. In every waking
hour he wanted her with him. In his
delirium he would call her name; when
conscious, he would hold her hand and
look silently into her face as she sat by
his bed.
I used often to call upon him while
he was confined to the house. One day
he sent Coralie out Of the room and
asked me to shut the door,
"You are still my friend, Alfred
Dorion-are you not?" he abruptly be.
gan.
''To be sure am. While am dread
fully distressed by what has hap
pened-'
mo matter about that. Iwant vol
to tell me something. What hap
pened after I got that mans bullet?
think my senses were wandering
What did I say?"
told him. repeated his expires
: sions-that he regretted that he hat
killed Castex; that he wanted to spare
, him; that he was anxious to hear from
him retraction of the words which
had caused the duel. His face darkenet
as he listened.
do you mean to say that said al
that silly stuff?' ..&~", b.,
:, IT have only repeated your owl
words" .. :~ ~.
:, 'Then my brain qoas wandering
Dorion, I meant to kill him. He ha,
! gone to be judged, as I must be on,
! day; but, 1 tell you, am not sorry h,
, has gone. He we'll knew when h,
came up here with his malignan
I fnne1,o that o;fhor HE 1s4o