BECOME PRINCIPAL INSTEAD OF SECOND IN A DUEL, AND RISK MY OWN AND
ANOTHER'S LIFE, MY OWN AND OTHERS' HAPPINESS AND PEACE OF MIND, BECAUSE
I HAVE BEEN PUNISHED AS I DESERVED.
After Captain Atkinson had left me, I stated to Timothy what had passed.
"And do you think you will have to fight a duel, sir?" cried Timothy
with alarm.
"There is no doubt of it," replied I.
"You never will find your father, sir, if you go on this way," said
Timothy, as if to divert my attention from such a purpose.
"Not in this world, perhaps, Tim; perhaps I may be sent the right road
by a bullet, and find him in the next."
"Do you think your father, if dead, has gone to heaven?"
"I hope so, Timothy."
"Then what chance have you of meeting him, if you go out of the world
attempting the life of your old friend?"
"That is what you call a poser, my dear Timothy, but I cannot help
myself: this I can safely say, that I have no animosity against Mr
Harcourt--at least, not sufficient to have any wish to take away his
life."
"Well, that's something, to be sure; but do you know, Japhet, I'm not
quite sure you hit the right road when you set up for a gentleman."
"No, Timothy, no man can be in the right road who deceives: I have been
all wrong; and I am afraid I am going from worse to worse: but I cannot
moralise, I must go to sleep, and forget everything, if I can."
The next morning, about eleven o'clock, a Mr Cotgrave called upon me on
the part of Harcourt. I referred him to Captain Atkinson, and he bowed
and quitted the room. Captain Atkinson soon called: he had remained at
home expecting the message, and had made every arrangement with the
second. He stayed with me the whole day. The major's pistols were
examined and approved of. We dined, drank freely, and he afterwards
proposed that I should accompany him to one of the hells, as they are
called. This I refused, as I had some arrangements to make; and as soon
as he was gone I sent for Timothy.
"Tim," said I, "if I should be unlucky to-morrow, you are my executor
and residuary legatee. My will was made when in Dublin, and is in the
charge of Mr Cophagus."
"Japhet, I hope you will allow me one favour, which is, to go to the
ground with you. I had rather be there than remain here in suspense."
"Of course, my dear fellow, if you wish it," replied I; "but I must go
to bed, as I am to be called at four o'clock--so let's have no
sentimentalising or sermonising. Good night, God bless you."
I was, at that time, in a state of mind which made me reckless of life
or of consequences; stung by the treatment which I received, mad with
the world's contumely, I was desperate. True it was, as Mr Masterton
said, I had not courage to buffet against an adverse gale. Timothy did
not go to bed, and at four o'clock was at my side. I rose, dressed
myself with the greatest care, and was soon joined by Captain Atkinson.
We then set off in a hackney-coach to the same spot to which I had, but
a few months before, driven with poor Carbonnell. His memory and his
death came like a cloud over my mind, but it was but for a moment. I
cared little for life. Harcourt and his second were on the ground a few
minutes before us. Each party saluted politely, and the seconds
proceeded to business. We fired, and Harcourt fell, with a bullet above
his knee. I went up to him, and he extended his hand. "Newland," said
he, "I have deserved this. I was a coward, in the first place, to
desert you as I did--and a coward, in the second, to fire at a man whom
I had injured. Gentlemen," continued he, appealing to the seconds,
"recollect, I, before you, acquit Mr Newland of all blame, and desire,
if any further accident should happen to me, that my relations will take
no steps whatever against him."
Harcourt was very pale, and bleeding fast. Without any answer I
examined the wound, and found, by the colour of the blood, and its
gushing, that an artery had been divided. My professional knowledge
saved his life. I compressed the artery, while I gave directions to the
others. A handkerchief was tied tight round his thigh, above the
wound--a round stone selected, and placed under the handkerchief, in the
femoral groove, and the ramrod of one of the pistols then made use of as
a winch, until the whole acted as a tourniquet. I removed my thumbs,
found that the haemorrhage was stopped, and then directed that he should
be taken home on a door, and surgical assistance immediately sent for.
"You appear to understand these things, sir," said Mr Cotgrave. "Tell
me, is there any danger?"
"He must suffer amputation," replied I, in a low voice, so that Harcourt
could not hear me. "Pray watch the tourniquet carefully as he is taken
home, for should it slip it will be fatal."
I then bowed to Mr Cotgrave, and, followed by Captain Atkinson, stepped
into the hackney-coach and drove home. "I will leave you now, Newland,"
said Captain Atkinson: "it is necessary that I talk this matter over, so
that it is properly explained."
I thanked Captain Atkinson for his services, and was left alone; for I
had sent Timothy to ascertain if Harcourt had arrived safe at his
lodgings. Never did I feel more miserable; my anxiety for Harcourt was
indescribable; true, he had not treated me well, but I thought of his
venerable father, who pressed my hand so warmly when I left his
hospitable roof--of his lovely sisters, and the kindness and affection
which they had shown towards me, and our extreme intimacy. I thought of
the pain which the intelligence would give them, and their indignation
towards me, when their brother first made his appearance at his father's
house, mutilated; and were he to die--good God! I was maddened at the
idea. I had now undone the little good I had been able to do. If I had
made Fleta and her mother happy, had I not plunged another family into
misery?