578 THE WATCH-TOWEH OF KOAT-VEN. 



fencer of the two, and avoided the chance of wounding his antago- 

 nist vitally, his object being merely to wound him slightly. But, for 

 an instant after he had guarded successfully an attack from his adver- 

 sary, he neglected the riposte. Sir George took advantage of the 

 delay, and aimed so sudden a thrust against the unguarded chest of 

 his antagonist that Henry fell. " Enough, enough, gentlemen," ex- 

 claimed the seconds. "Alas! Sir," cried Sir George, " why did 

 you so unreasonably provoke me ? I swear to you by rny honour 

 that a very different feeling than that of hate induced me to accept 

 your challenge." "Par Dieu ! and me too," replied Henry, feebly, 

 " and on that account " He could say no more, but fainted from loss 

 of blood. Four hours afterwards he was in his own hotel at Paris, 

 in the care of his surgeons. 



The day after the duel the Count de Vaudrey was sleeping in the 

 large apartment hung with red damask, where he had received the 

 astronomer. Rumphius was still there, resting on his elbow and 

 reading with attention an immense folio, turning at the same time a 

 tea-spoon in a cup which stood on the table by his side. The hand 

 which moved the spoon, the arm which moved the hand, all moved 

 together producing an automaton rotation that must have worked 

 wonders at the bottom of the cup. "Ah! mon Dieu ! what have 

 you been about?" exclaimed the old valet Grosbois in a great fright, 

 as he pulled the savant by the cuff of his coat. " Hey! who is it? 

 what's the matter? I am I have just finished I am only examin- 

 ing what the most reverend father Hortius, in his remarks upon 

 Brahma, thinks of Gourou. Tarpa Gamana, who treats the ques- 

 tion, whether one may take the wife of one's Goron or " said the 

 astronomer gazing vacantly at Grosbois and stirring still more sedu- 

 lously in the cup. " But, M. Rumphius, it is quite useless to make 

 such a clatter with your spoon in that cup ; see there, it's empty, and 

 you have upset the syrup and the draught upon the table ; and there 

 too, all upon the carpet ; 'tis always so, M. Rumphius, when I ask 

 you to do any thing." 



" Dear me ; so it is, M. Grosbois," said Rumphius, as he pro- 

 ceeded to verify the fact ; "I have upset it all, over the margin of 

 the cup. Well, well ! there is a symbol in the Veikoula exactly 

 similar. The juice of the palm-tree falls by the side of the basin, 

 says the ritual of Brahma ; the Nittia-Carma, the juice of the palm 

 falls " "We have nothing to do with the juice of the palm, M. 

 Rumphius; the count ought to have had his medicine an hour ago." 

 " But, Grosbois, the great and genuine Gorou " At this moment 

 Henry awoke and interrupted the astronomer's digression. "Where 

 am I? What time is it? Is it niojht or day?" enquired Henry. 

 " Thank God, he speaks again," said a voice, and Sir George ap- 

 proached the wounded count. " Bravo! Sir George, I am delighted 

 to see you ; but you have a strong wrist; but it's all quite right, I 

 think." "Yes, yes," said Sir George, "there is no danger; the 

 surgeons have declared all well, a rib has been violently thrust. 

 Therefore, fear not ; adieu; I wished to see you before I left, and 

 now that I fear not for your life, adieu." " You are then returning 

 to England?" said Henry. " Leave us, Rumphius. I must request 



