The Corsican Brothers Part 28

"There, that's where I shall put my bullet."

"And yourself?"

"I shall not be touched."

"But, at least, wait for the issue of the duel, before you send your letter."

"It would be perfectly useless."

He rang, the servant appeared.

"Joseph," said he, "take this letter to the post."

"But have you seen your dead brother?"

"Yes," he answered.

It is a very strange thing the occurrence of these two duels so close together, and in each of which one of the two combatants was doomed.

While we were talking the Baron Giordano arrived. It was eight o'clock, so we started.

Lucien was very anxious to arrive first, so we were on the field ten minutes before the hour.

Our adversaries arrived at nine o'clock punctually. They came on horseback, followed by a groom also on horseback.

M. de Chateau Renaud had his hand in the breast of his coat. I at first thought he was carrying his arm in a sling.

The gentlemen dismounted twenty paces from us, and gave their bridles to the groom.

Monsieur de Chateau Renaud remained apart, but looked steadfastly at Lucien, and I thought he became paler. He turned aside and amused himself knocking off the little flowers with his riding whip.

"Well, gentlemen, here we are!" said MM. de Chateaugrand and de Boissy, "but you know our conditions. This duel is to be the last, and no matter what the issue may be, M. de Chateau Renaud shall not have to answer to any one for the double result."

"That is understood," we replied. Then Lucien bowed a.s.sent.

"You have the weapons, gentlemen?" said the Viscount.

"Here are the same pistols."

"And they are unknown to M. de Franchi?"

"Less known to him than to M. de Chateau Renaud who has already used them once. M. de Franchi has not even seen them."

"That is sufficient, gentlemen. Come, Chateau Renaud!"

We immediately entered the wood, and each one felt, as he revisited the fatal spot, that a tragedy more terrible still was about to be enacted.

We soon arrived in the little dell.

M. de Chateau Renaud, thanks to his great self-command, appeared quite calm, but those who had seen both encounters could appreciate the difference.

From time to time he glanced under his lids at Lucien, and his furtive looks denoted a disquietude approaching to fear.

Perhaps it was the great resemblance between the brothers that struck him, and he thought he saw in Lucien the avenging shade of Louis.

While they were loading the pistols I saw him draw his hand from the breast of his coat. The fingers were enveloped in a handkerchief as if to prevent their twitching.

Lucien waited calmly, like a man who was sure of his vengeance.

Without being told, Lucien walked to the place his brother had occupied, which compelled Chateau Renaud to take up his position as before.

Lucien received his weapon with a joyous smile.

When Chateau Renaud took his pistol he became deadly pale. Then he pa.s.sed his hand between his cravat and his neck as if he were suffocating.

No one can conceive with what feelings of terror I regarded this young man, handsome, rich, and elegant, who but yesterday believed he had many years still before him, and who to-day, with the sweat on his brow and agony at his heart, felt he was condemned.

"Are you ready, gentlemen?" asked M. de Chateaugrand.

"Yes," replied Lucien.

M. de Chateau Renaud made a sign in the affirmative.

As for me I was obliged to turn away, not daring to look upon the scene.

I heard the two successive clappings of the hands, and at the third the simultaneous reports of the pistols. I turned round.

Chateau Renaud was lying on the ground, stark dead; he had not uttered a sound nor made a movement.

I approached the body, impelled by that invincible curiosity which compels one to see the end of a catastrophe.

The bullet had entered the dead man's temple, at the very spot that Lucien had indicated to me previously.

I ran to him, he was calm and motionless, but seeing me coming towards him he let fall the pistol, and threw himself into my arms.

"Ah, my brother, my poor brother!" he cried as he burst into a pa.s.sion of sobs.

These were the first tears that the young man had shed.

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Woodfall & Kinder, Printers, Milford Lane, Strand, London, W.C.

Transcriber's Note

This transcription is based on images scanned by Google from a copy in the Bodleian Library: