cressy-第37章

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escape　by　flight　was　impossible；　and　that　he　had　not　a　single

weapon　to　defend　himself　with　or　even　provoke；　in　his　desperation；

the　struggle　that　could　forestall　ignominy　by　death。　　Nothing　was

left　him　but　his　voice；　clear　and　trenchant　as　he　faced　them。



〃You　are　twelve　to　one；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃but　if　there　is　a　single

man　among　you　who　dare　step　forward　and　accuse　me　of　what　you　only

TOGETHER　dare　do；　I　will　tell　him　he　is　a　liar　and　a　coward；　and

stand　here　ready　to　make　it　good　against　him。　　You　come　here　as

judge　and　jury　condemning　me　without　trial；　and　confronting　me　with

no　accusers；　you　come　here　as　lawless　avengers　of　your　honor；　and

you　dare　not　give　ME　the　privilege　of　as　lawlessly　defending　my

own。〃



There　was　another　slight　murmur　among　the　men；　but　the　leader　moved

impatiently　forward。　　〃We've　had　enough　o'　your　preachin'：　we　want

YOU；〃　he　said　roughly。　　〃Come。〃



〃Stop；〃　said　a　dull　voice。



It　came　from　a　mute　figure　which　had　remained　motionless　among　the

others。　　Every　eye　was　turned　upon　it　as　it　rose　and　lazily　pushed

the　cloth　from　its　face。



〃Hiram　McKinstry！〃　said　the　others　in　mingled　tones　of　astonishment

and　suspicion。



〃That's　me！〃　said　McKinstry；　coming　forward　with　heavy　deliberation。

〃I　joined　this　yer　delegation　at　the　crossroads　instead　o'　my

brother；　who　had　the　call。　　I　reckon　et's　all　the　sameor　mebbe

better。　　For　I　perpose　to　take　this　yer　gentleman　off　your　hands。〃



He　lifted　his　slumbrous　eyes　for　the　first　time　to　the　master；　and

at　the　same　time　put　himself　between　him　and　Harrison。　　〃I

perpose；〃　he　continued；　〃to　take　him　at　his　word；　I　perpose　ter

give　him　a　chance　to　answer　with　a　gun。　　And　ez　I　reckon；　by　all

accounts；　there's　no　man　yer　ez　hez　a　better　right　than　ME；　I

perpose　to　be　the　man　to　put　that　question　to　him　in　the　same　way。

Et　may　not　suit　some　gents；〃　he　continued　slowly；　facing　an　angry

exclamation　from　the　lank　figure　behind　him；　〃ez　would　prefer　to

hev　eleven　men　to　take　up　THEIR　private　quo'lls；　but　even　then　I

reckon　that　the　man　who　is　the　most　injured　hez　the　right　to　the

first　say　and　that　man's　ME。〃



With　a　careful　deliberation　that　had　a　double　significance　to　the

malcontents；　he　handed　his　own　rifle　to　the　master　and　without

looking　at　him　continued：　〃I　reckon；　sir；　you've　seen　that　afore；

but　ef　it　ain't　quite　to　your　hand；　any　of　those　gents；　I

kalkilate；　will　be　high…toned　enuff　to　giv　you　the　chyce　o'　theirs。

And　there's　no　need　o'　trapsin'　beyon'　the　township　lines；　to　fix

this　yer　affair；　I　perpose　to　do　it　in　ten　minutes　in　the　brush

yonder。〃



Whatever　might　have　been　the　feelings　and　intentions　of　the　men

around　him；　the　precedence　of　McKinstry's　right　to　the　duello　was　a

principle　too　deeply　rooted　in　their　traditions　to　deny；　if　any

resistance　to　it　had　been　contemplated　by　some　of　them；　the　fact

that　the　master　was　now　armed；　and　that　Mr。　McKinstry　would　quickly

do　battle　at　his　side　with　a　revolver　in　defence　of　his　rights；

checked　any　expression。　　They　silently　drew　back　as　the　master　and

McKinstry　slowly　passed　out　of　the　school…house　together；　and　then

followed　in　their　rear。　　In　that　interval　the　master　turned　to

McKinstry　and　said　in　a　low　voice：　〃I　accept　your　challenge　and

thank　you　for　it。　　You　have　never　done　me　a　greater　kindness

whatever　I　have　done　to　YOUyet　I　want　you　to　believe　that　neither

now　nor　THENI　meant　you　any　harm。〃



〃Ef　you　mean　by　that；　sir；　that　ye　reckon　ye　won't　return　my　fire；

ye're　blind　and　wrong。　　For　it　will　do　you　no　good　with　them；〃　he

said　with　a　significant　wave　of　his　crippled　hand　towards　the

following　crowd；　〃nor　me　neither。〃



Firmly　resolved；　however；　that　he　would　not　fire　at　McKinstry；　and

clinging　blindly　to　this　which　he　believed　was　the　last　idea　of　his

foolish　life；　he　continued　on　without　another　word　until　they

reached　the　open　strip　of　chemisal　that　flanked　the　clearing。



The　rude　preliminaries　were　soon　settled。　　The　parties　armed　with

rifles　were　to　fire　at　the　word　from　a　distance　of　eighty　yards；

and　then　approach　each　other；　continuing　the　fight　with　revolvers

until　one　or　the　other　fell。　　The　selection　of　seconds　was　effected

by　the　elder　Harrison　acting　for　McKinstry；　and　after　a　moment's

delay　by　the　volunteering　of　the　long；　lank　figure　previously　noted

to　act　for　the　master。　　Preoccupied　by　other　thoughts；　Mr。　Ford

paid　little　heed　to　his　self…elected　supporter；　who　to　the　others

seemed　to　be　only　taking　that　method　of　showing　his　contempt　for

McKinstry's　recent　insult。　　The　master　received　the　rifle

mechanically　from　his　hand　and　walked　to　position。　　He　noticed；

however；　and　remembered　afterwards　that　his　second　was　half　hidden

by　the　trunk　of　a　large　pine　to　his　right　that　marked　the　limit　of

the　ground。



In　that　supreme　moment　it　must　be　recorded；　albeit　against　all

preconceived　theory；　that　he　did　NOT　review　his　past　life；　was　NOT

illuminated　by　a　flash　of　remorseful　or　sentimental　memory；　and　did

NOT　commend　his　soul　to　his　Maker；　but　that　he　was　simply　and

keenly　alive　to　the　very　actual　present　in　which　he　still　existed

and　to　his　one　idea　of　not　firing　at　his　adversary。　　And　if

anything　could　render　his　conduct　more　theoretically　incorrect　it

was　a　certain　exalted　sense　that　he　was　doing　quite　right　and　was

not　only　NOT　a　bad　sort　of　fellow；　but　one　whom　his　survivors　might

possibly　regret！



〃Are　you　ready；　gentlemen？　　Onetwothreefi　。　。　。　！〃



The　explosions　were　singularly　simultaneousso　remarkable　in　fact

that　it　seemed　to　the　master　that　his　rifle；　fired　in　the　air；　had

given　a　DOUBLE　report。　　A　light　wreath　of　smoke　lay　between　him　and

his　opponent。　　He　was　unhurtso　evidently　was　his　adversary；　for

the　voice　rose　again。



〃Advance！　。　。　。　Hallo　there！　　Stop！〃



He　looked　up　quickly　to　see　McKinstry　stagger　and　then　fall　heavily

to　the　ground。



With　an　exclamation　of　horror；　the　first　and　only　terrible　emotion

he　had　felt；　he　ran　to　the　fallen　man；　as　Harrison　reached　his　side

at　the　same　moment。



〃For　God's　sake；〃　he　said　wildly；　throwing　himself　on　his　knees

beside　McKinstry；　〃what　has　happened？　　For　I　swear　to　you；　I　never

aimed　at　you！　　I　fired　in　the　air。　　Speak！　　Tell　him；　you；〃　he

turned　with　a　despairing　appeal　to　Harrison；　〃you　must　have　seen　it

alltell　him　it　was　not　me！〃



A　half　wondering；　half　incredulous　smile　passed　quickly　over

Harrison's　face。　　〃In　course　you　didn't　MEAN　it；〃　he　said　dryly；

〃but　let　that　slide。　　Get　up　and　get　away　from　yer；　while　you　kin；〃

he　added　impatiently；　with　a　significant　glance　at　one　or　two　men

who　lingered　after　the　sudden　and　general　dispersion　of　the　crowd

at　McKinstry's　fall。　　〃Getwill　ye！〃



〃Never！〃　said　the　young　man　passionately；　〃until　he　knows　that　it

was　not　my　hand　that　fired　that　shot。〃



McKinstry　painfully　struggled　to　his　elbow。　　〃It　took　me　yere；〃　he

said　with　a　slow　deliberation；　as　if　answering　some　previous

question；　and　pointing　to　his　hip；　〃and　it　kinder　let　me　down　when

I　started　forward　at　the　second　call。〃



〃But　it　was　not　I　who　did　it；　McKinstry；　I　swear　it。　　Hear　me！　　For

God's　sake；　say　you　believe　me。〃



McKinstry　turned　his　drowsy　troubled　eyes　upon　the　master　as　if　he

were　vaguely　recalling　something。　　〃Stand　back　thar　a　minit；　will

ye；〃　he　said　to　Harrison；　with　a　languid　wave　of　his　crippled　hand；

〃I　want　ter　speak　to　this　yer　man。〃



Harrison　drew　back　a　few　paces　and　the　master　sought　to　take　the

wounded　man's　hand；　but　he　was　stopped　by　a　gesture。　　〃Where　hev

you　put　Cressy？〃　McKinstry　said　slowly。



〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　stammered　Ford。



〃Where　are　you　hidin'　her　from　me？〃　repeated　McKinstry　with　painful

distinctness。　　〃Whar　hev　you　run　her　to；　that　you're　reckonin'　to

jine　her　arterarterTHIS？〃



〃I　am　not　hiding　her！　　I　am　not　going　to　her！　　I　do　not　know　where

she　is。　　I　have　not　seen　her　since　we　parted　early　this　morning

without　a