Mr. Chester was on his knees before the oblong box, and I saw the
glint of the pistols as he handed them up. The distance had
already been paced and marked out, and now each man took his
ground--Sir Jasper, still in his greatcoat, his hat over his
eyes, his neckerchief loose and dangling, one hand in his pocket,
the other grasping his weapon; his antagonist, on the contrary,
jaunty and debonnair, a dandy from the crown of his hat to the
soles of his shining boots.
Their arms were raised almost together. The man Selby glanced
from one to the other, a handkerchief fluttered, fell, and in
that instant came the report of a pistol. I saw Sir Jasper reel
backward, steady himself, and fire in return; then, while the blue
smoke yet hung in the still air, he staggered blindly, and fell.
Mr. Chester, and two or three more, ran forward and knelt beside
him, while his opponent shrugged his shoulders, and, taking off
his hat, pointed out the bullet hole to his white-faced second.
And in a little while they lifted Sir Jasper in their arms, but
seeing how his head hung, a sudden sickness came upon me, for I
knew, indeed, that he would go walking back nevermore. Yet his
eyes were wide and staring--staring up at the blue heaven with
the same fixed intensity as they had done at the inn.
Then I, too, looked up at the cloudless sky, and round upon the
fair earth; and, in that moment, I, for one, remembered his
prophecy of an hour ago. And, indeed, the day was glorious.