"Then her step was heard upon the great staircase; she slowly ascended
to her chamber; the door opened, then closed--and I sat down, overcome
for an instant by the terrible scene, within three paces of the dead
animal, destroyed by the poison intended for myself.
"This paralysis of mind lasted only for a moment, however. I rose
coolly; directed the old servant, who alone had witnessed the scene, to
retire, and carefully abstain from uttering a word of what had passed
before him--then I leaned upon the mantel-piece, reflected for five
minutes--and in that time I had formed my resolution.
"Mortimer was first to be thought of. I intended to put him to death
first and foremost. It would have been easy to have imitated the old
seigneurs of the feudal age, and ordered my retainers to assassinate
him; but that was repugnant to my whole character. It should never be
said that a Mohun had shrunk before his foe; that one of my family had
delegated to another the punishment of his enemy. I would fight
Mortimer--meet him in fair and open combat--if he killed me well and
good. If not, I would kill him. And it should not be with the pistol. I
thirsted to meet him breast to breast; to feel my weapon traverse his
heart. To accomplish this was not difficult. I had often heard
Mortimer, when at the parsonage, boast of his skill with the foils.
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