Perfect coolness in the field,and a steadiness and accuracy (which to the unpractised appeared almost miraculous)in the use of the pistol,formed the characteristics of this class;and in addition to this there generally existed a kind of professional pride,which prompted the duellist,in default of any more malignant feeling,from motives of mere vanity,to seek the life of his antagonist.Fitzgerald's career had been a remarkably successful one,and I knew that out of thirteen duels which he had fought in Ireland,in nine cases he had KILLED his man.In those days one never heard of the parties leaving the field,as not unfrequently now occurs,without blood having been spilt;and the odds were,of course,in all cases tremendously against a young and unpractised man,when matched with an experienced antagonist.My impression respecting the magnitude of the danger which my friend had incurred was therefore by no means unwarranted.
I now questioned O'Connor more accurately respecting the circumstances of his quarrel with Fitzgerald.It arose from some dispute respecting the application of a rule of piquet,at which game they had been playing,each interpreting it favourably to himself,and O'Connor,having lost considerably,was in no mood to conduct an argument with temper--an altercation ensued,and that of rather a pungent nature,and the result was that he left Fitzgerald's room rather abruptly,determined to demand an explanation in the most peremptory tone.For this purpose he had sent for M'Donough,and had commissioned him to deliver the note,which my arrival had fortunately intercepted.
As it was now past noon,O'Connor made me promise to remain with him to dinner;and we sat down a party of three,all in high spirits at the termination of our anxieties.It is necessary to mention,for the purpose of accounting for what follows,that Mrs.O'Connor,or,as she was more euphoniously styled,the lady of Castle Connor,was precluded by ill-health from taking her place at the dinner-table,and,indeed,seldom left her room before four o'clock.We were sitting after dinner sipping our claret,and talking,and laughing,and enjoying ourselves exceedingly,when a servant,stepping into the room,informed his master that a gentleman wanted to speak with him.
'Request him,with my compliments,to walk in,'said O'Connor;and in a few moments a gentleman entered the room.
His appearance was anything but prepossessing.He was a little above the middle size,spare,and raw-boned;his face very red,his features sharp and bluish,and his age might be about sixty.His attire savoured a good deal of the SHABBY-GENTEEL;his clothes,which had much of tarnished and faded pretension about them,did not fit him,and had not improbably fluttered in the stalls of Plunket Street.We had risen on his entrance,and O'Connor had twice requested of him to take a chair at the table,without his hearing,or at least noticing,the invitation;while with a slow pace,and with an air of mingled importance and effrontery,he advanced into the centre of the apartment,and regarding our small party with a supercilious air,he said:
'I take the liberty of introducing myself--I am Captain M'Creagh,formerly of the--infantry.My business here is with a Mr.O'Connor,and the sooner it is despatched the better.'
'I am the gentleman you name,'said O'Connor;'and as you appear impatient,we had better proceed to your commission without delay.'
'Then,Mr.O'Connor,you will please to read that note,'said the captain,placing a sealed paper in his hand.
O'Connor read it through,and then observed:
'This is very extraordinary indeed.
This note appears to me perfectly unaccountable.'
'You are very young,Mr.O'Connor,'
said the captain,with vulgar familiarity;
'but,without much experience in these matters,I think you might have anticipated something like this.You know the old saying,"Second thoughts are best;"and so they are like to prove,by G--!'
'You will have no objection,Captain M'Creagh,on the part of your friend,to my reading this note to these gentlemen;they are both confidential friends of mine,and one of them has already acted for me in this business.'
'I can have no objection,'replied the captain,'to your doing what you please with your own.I have nothing more to do with that note once I put it safe into your hand;and when that is once done,it is all one to me,if you read it to half the world--that's YOUR concern,and no affair of mine.'
O'Connor then read the following:
'Mr.Fitzgerald begs leave to state,that upon re-perusing Mr.O'Connor's communication of this morning carefully,with an experienced friend,he is forced to consider himself as challenged.His friend,Captain M'Creagh,has been empowered by him to make all the necessary arrangements.
'T--Inn,Thursday.'
I can hardly describe the astonishment with which I heard this note.I turned to the captain,and said:
'Surely,sir,there is some mistake in all this?'
'Not the slightest,I'll assure you,sir.'
said he,coolly;'the case is a very clear one,and I think my friend has pretty well made up his mind upon it.May Irequest your answer?'he continued,turning to O'Connor;'time is precious,you know.'
O'Connor expressed his willingness to comply with the suggestion,and in a few minutes had folded and directed the following rejoinder:
'Mr.O'Connor having received a satisfactory explanation from Mr.
Fitzgerald,of the language used by that gentleman,feels that there no longer exists any grounds for misunderstanding,and wishes further to state,that the note of which Mr.Fitzgerald speaks was not intended as a challenge.'
