‘They are late,’ said Forster impatiently. ‘If he should take flight after all.’
‘I think he will come. But you are shaking like a leaf.’
‘Do you think I am afraid?’ asked Forster with a strange smile.
Sutherland knew better, and shook his head sadly. But Forster’s agitation3, caused mainly by the mental strain of the last few days, filled him with deep concern.
A few minutes later three figures emerged on the open space of sand. These were Gavrolles, the Chevalier, his second, carrying a case of duelling pistols, and a little baldheaded man, carrying another case filled with surgical5 instruments.
The Chevalier led Sutherland apart.
‘These are the weapons. Do they meet with your approbation6?’
Sutherland examined the pistols, and nodded.
‘Will you load them, monsieur, or shall I?’ asked the Chevalier, still politely.
Sutherland undertook the operation, while the Chevalier watched him keenly. The pistols loaded, Gavrolles took one, Forster the other, and they moved to their places. It was arranged that the Chevalier and Sutherland should simultaneously7 count ten, and then utter the word “Fire,” which should be the signal for the duellists to discharge their weapons.
Sutherland placed his man in position. So little did Forster know of how to protect himself, so clumsy was his exposure of his vital parts, that the surgeon in attendance uttered an exclamation8.
‘Mon Dieu!’ he cried. ‘It is not like a duel4—but an assassination9!’
Trembling with fear for Forster, who seemed quite helpless, Sutherland made one last appeal for him to withdraw, but the appeal was altogether useless.
‘Well, then, since it must be, cover your man well, and aim low. The moment the word is given, raise your aim and fire; don’t lose an instant, or he will anticipate you. You understand?’
‘Yes.’
The seconds moved away, while Gavrolles and Forster faced each other. On the face of the Frenchman there was a curious blending of self-confidence, malignity10, and nervous anticipation11.
The sun rose coldly over the damp sands, but the air was still dank and cold, and the seconds, in slow monotonous12 voices, began simultaneously to count.
One—two—three—four—five—six—seven—eight—nine—ten—‘fire!’
Before the last word was half pronounced, Gavrolles had raised his weapon, covered his opponent with lightning rapidity, and fired.
At the very moment he was about to raise his pistol in the air, Forster felt his arm suddenly grow powerless, while the weapon dropped from his hand.
Sutherland and the little surgeon simultaneously uttered an exclamation. The former reached his friend just in time to catch him in his arms.
‘He is wounded!’ he cried. ‘I call you all to witness, it is a murder, not a duel.’
Swift as thought, the surgeon placed Forster on the ground, stripped off his coat, and cutting away a portion of his shirt, which was saturated13 with blood, disclosed an ugly wound in the shoulder. Forster, who had scarcely lost consciousness, opened his eyes with a twinge of pain, as the surgeon began to probe the wound for the bullet. It was the work of a moment; for the lead, after striking and partially14 fracturing the bone, had embedded15 itself in the fleshy part of the arm.
‘It is not so bad as I feared,’ said the surgeon; ‘but it was not fairly done.’
‘It was most foully16 done,’ cried Sutherland, springing up and facing Gavrolles, who had approached and stood very pale, looking on. ‘Monsieur Gavrolles, it is now my turn. You shall fight me!’
‘I shall do nothing of the kind,’ returned the Frenchman, turning on his heel.
‘But you shall!’ Sutherland exclaimed, seizing him by the arm and whirling him savagely18 round. ‘If you do not, I will shoot you like a dog.’
As he spoke19 he stooped and picked up Forster’s undischarged pistol, and covered Gavrolles, who cowered20 and shook like a leaf.
‘I repeat, my friend has fallen by foul17 play. You fired too soon—ah I I know the old device of scoundrels like yourself. I demand satisfaction.’
Here the Chevalier thought it time to interfere21.
‘If that is so, I am at your service.’
‘All in good time, but my business is first with the assassin. I appeal to you as his second and a man of honour. Was it a fair duel?’
The Chevalier scowled22 and looked uneasily from one to another.
‘It was a mistake, doubtless,’ he said; ‘your principal was so slow.’
‘It was no mistake; it was a ruse23. He shall fight me—by God he shall!’
The Chevalier turned to Gavrolles.
‘What do you say?’
Gavrolles shrugged24 his shoulders.
‘The man is mad—I have no quarrel with him—nevertheless, if he wishes to be served like his companion——’
‘No, it is impossible,’ said the Chevalier. ‘An affair of honour must be conducted according to the code. Even if my friend consented to this preposterous25 arrangement, you would have to be properly represented, and, there being no second present, I decline, on my friend’s account.’
But here the little surgeon, who had carefully drest Forster’s wound, and placed him carefully and comfortably in a sitting posture26 against a large fragment of stone, leapt up in excitement.
‘Pardon, monsieur! I am here, and I will act as the English monsieur’s second.’
‘You?’ exclaimed the Chevalier.
‘Yes, Beauvoisin, I! I saw it all, and I repeat—it was not a duel, but an assassination.’
‘Monsieur, take care!’
‘Do you take care, Beauvoisin!’ screamed the little man fiercely. ‘I refuse to be a party to a cheat, either with pistols or cards.’
More high words ensued, and the two combatants seemed likely to fly at each other’s throats, when Gavrolles, who saw Sutherland still ready to fire upon him if he attempted to leave the ground, seized his second angrily by the arm.
‘It is enough—I will fight the scoundrel. If he falls he will have himself to blame.’
So at last it was arranged. Gavrolles’ pistol was reloaded, while Sutherland still retained the weapon undischarged by Forster. The ground was measured; the men took their places, and the seconds stood aside, ready to give the signal.
It was arranged this time that ‘three’ only should be counted, and the moment the last number was given the men were to fire.
Sutherland stood cold and collected; Gavrolles, this time, shook violently, and seemed to lose his self-possession.
‘Stop!’ he cried, just as the second prepared to count.
‘No! It is infamous27! I will not fight again.’
And he threw down his pistol.
‘A coward,’ said Sutherland; ‘I thought so!’
But the fire-eating Chevalier now walked over, lifted the weapon, and handed it back to his principal.
‘On the contrary, you must fight now,’ he said grimly. ‘If not, I shall proclaim you to be what the Englishman calls you, a coward.’
With one fierce glare into his friend’s face, Gavrolles snatched the pistol, uttered an execration28, and again took his stand facing Sutherland.
The Chevalier walked back to his place.
‘One—two—three!’
Before the last number was uttered, Gavrolles had raised his pistol; but Sutherland, who had watched him keenly, was as quick as he. The weapons were discharged simultaneously, and one sharp report rang out in the air.
Sutherland stood unscathed, though the bullet had almost grazed his brow. Gavrolles, with a stifled29 scream, threw up his arms, and fell forward on his face—shot through the heart.
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收听单词发音
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1
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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2
marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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3
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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4
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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5
surgical
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| adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的 | |
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6
approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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7
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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8
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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9
assassination
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| n.暗杀；暗杀事件 | |
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10
malignity
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| n.极度的恶意，恶毒；（病的）恶性 | |
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11
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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12
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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13
saturated
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| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
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14
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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15
embedded
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| a.扎牢的 | |
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16
foully
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| ad.卑鄙地 | |
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17
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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18
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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19
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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20
cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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21
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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22
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
ruse
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| n.诡计，计策；诡计 | |
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24
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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25
preposterous
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| adj.荒谬的，可笑的 | |
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26
posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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27
infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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28
execration
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| n.诅咒，念咒，憎恶 | |
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29
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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