But that was all past, and
I was moving towards death in a foolish strife in which I had no heart,
and where I could find no honour, I think I laughed aloud at my
exceeding folly.
We turned from the path into an alley which led to an open space on the
edge of a derelict clearing. There, to my surprise, I found a
considerable company assembled. Grey was there with his second, and a
dozen or more of his companions stood back in the shadow of the trees.
The young blood of Virginia had come out to see the trader punished.
During the few minutes while the seconds were busy pacing the course
and arranging for the signal, I had no cognizance of the world around
me. I stood with abstracted eyes watching a grey squirrel in one of the
branches, and trying to recall a line I had forgotten in a song. There
seemed to be two Andrew Garvalds that morning, one filled with an
immense careless peace, and the other a weak creature who had lived so
long ago as to be forgotten. I started when Faulkner came to place me,
and followed him without a word. But as I stood up and saw Grey twenty
paces off, turning up his wristbands and tossing his coat to a friend,
I realized the business I had come on. A great flood of light was
rolling down the forest aisles, but it was so clear and pure that it
did not dazzle.
Pages:
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203