•UBTERRANBAN KECESSB9. 



I0» 



Although those around sjrxnpathised with me, they gave me to under- 

 stand I must either cease my lamentations or he taken away. The 

 signal for the combat was the great bell of the city striking the hour 

 of noon. Tiie din of voices gradually hushed as that time approached. 

 The tallest of the spectators arranged themselves behind those of 

 lower stature, and all were breathlessly awaiting the combat between 

 two men who had each been chief magistrate, and whose mysterious 

 friendship and quarrel were so remarkable. The combatants had 

 assumed the proper attitude — the immense multitude theirs; when 

 the solemn sound of the first stroke of the enormous bell interrupted 

 the stillness prevailing. Deep and dreadful sounded the note; two, 

 three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve followed, 

 the last stroke still sounding when the t#o dirks dazzled the eye 

 with their rapid movements as they glittered in the meridian sim. 

 In two seconds my father fell ;— before the minute had elapsed he 

 had ceased to breathe. I cannot describe what followed — only that 

 a frantic desire to be avenged on the murderer of my father seized 

 me. Subsequent circumstances altered my desire to a detennination, 

 which I wrote in blood, that my life should be devoted to the abolish- 

 ment of the fiend-like custom which had ruined our once happy 

 family. My vow became known ; all Her'ulaneum knew of it. 

 They recognised in the lad of ten years of age as he passed through 

 the streets, not merely the features of theii fonner citizen, but a de- 

 termined exyjression which would have challenged observation had his 

 vow not been known. Their consciences told them that I was right ; 

 and before I was able to take a single active measure, combats began 

 sensibly to decrease. I was a living warning to them. From that 

 hour to this I have been a harrier against this horrid custom, and 

 shall continue to be so until death shall oblige me to relax my 

 endeavours ; and even then, the results of the literary labours of my 

 life will remain. The world shall have my thoughts solemnly and 

 (if there is any strength in language) strongly laid before them. I 

 have collected together accounts of combats, with their results, cal- 

 culated to make the blood nm chill ; and I will not hold anything 

 back for the purpose of sparing feelings. Men's minds shall be 

 harrowed up ; accounts of domestic woe, containing passages wherein 



