540 D'EGVILLE ; on THE DUELLIST. 



dare you interfere with my quarrels !" The seamen reluctantly 

 obeyed. 



" I hope," said Stewart, "that Mr. Willthorpe will not again give 

 me the trouble of protecting him from insult." Willthorpe thought 

 the hint too good to neglect it ; so, descending the ladder, seated 

 himself in the boat, and, darting a revengeful look at the Captain, 

 went ashore. 



" I know not," said Stewart, calmly, (( nor care I what may be said 

 of my conduct ; but having once shed the life's blood of a man, my 

 conscience forbids my accepting any more challenges. I conceive 

 life too estimable a gift to treat its Giver with ingratitude, by throw- 

 ing it away to satisfy the fiend-like propensity of one I despise." 



" Your resolution does you honour, but should he " I was about to 

 express that which I should not on recollection. I took the awkward 

 course of stopping in the middle of my sentence. 



" I anticipate your thoughts ; you need not fear to utter them. 

 You would inquire how I would act were this D'Egeville to put in 

 practice what yon cat-faced youth threatened. I have about my 

 person the scars of five ' wounds in front.' These are honorable 

 marks of my having served my country ; three of those were ob- 

 tained on board the Victory, the day that the greatest naval hero that 

 ever the ocean bore exchanged a life of glory for immortality. These 

 scars" he displayed two on his breast as he spoke ei are too deep 

 to be effaced by the hand of an inebriated duellist." 



These resolutions were noble : (but, alas, for human nature) they 

 were not kept. Within an hour of this conversation, Stewart had 

 business on shore to " clear out" his vessel, preparatory to his sailing 

 the following morning. Being free from the disorder with which I 

 awoke, I accompanied him. After we landed, and while Stewart was 

 giving orders to one of his seamen, D'Egville, who had waited for 

 him at a corner, sprang unperceived and unexpectedly upon him with 

 an activity that was surprising for a man in his state. He struck the 

 captain with a small horsewhip across the face ; and ere Stewart re- 

 covered himself, vaulted into his saddle and rode off. This was done 

 in the presence of several persons. Never shall I forget the dreadful 

 expression of Stewart's countenance. On ordinary occasions his 

 features were handsome and so regular, that one might judge them 

 incapable of strongly indicating any deep passion ; but now they were 

 inimitably and inexpressibly awful. The most violent indignation 

 and the blackest wrath flashed from his eyes, and distorted every 

 lineament of his visage, which became absolutely party-coloured with 

 conflicting emotions. 



After some minutes I lead, or rather dragged, him into my apart- 

 ments ; which happened to be on the ground-floor within a few yards 

 of us. He was quite passive. I conjured him to moderate his rage ; 

 he seemed not to hear what I said, but burst into a terrible laugh. 

 Tears are seldom shed by agony : groans, and even execrations, re- 

 lieve it ; but the laugh of wrath indicates the climax of human pas- 

 sion. After a pause, he walked, with a hurried step, across the apart- 

 ment several times ; then stopping short, called me by rny name, and 

 asked me if I was near. I answered in the affirmative, and he again 



