Farewell Nikola: Chapter 10

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Chapter ten of Farewell Nicola by Guy Boothby this LibriVox
recording is in the public domain, Chapter ten. To the
joy of every one. By the Thursday following, Missus Trevor
was sufficiently recovered to be able to leave her room.
It was a happy day for every one concerned, particularly

(00:22):
for the Duke, who came nearer, presenting the appearances of
an amiable lunatic on that occasion, and I had ever
seen him before. Why my wife should have encouraged him
in its extravagance I cannot say. But the fact remains
that she allowed him to go out with her that
morning with a professed idea of purchasing a few flowers
to decorate the drawing room for the invalid's reception. So

(00:46):
great was their extravagance that the room more resembled a
hot house or a flower show than a civilized apartment.
I pointed this out to my wife with a gentle remonstrance.
I was informed that, being a mere husband, I knew
nothing at all all about the matter. I trust that
I preserved my balance and lived up to my reputation
for sanity. In the midst of this general excitement, I

(01:09):
am prepared to confess that I was scarcely myself when
the triumphal procession, consisting on my wife and the Dean,
set off to the invalid's apartment to escort her in.
When she appeared, it was like a ghost of her
former self, and a poor one ghost too. Her father,
of course she had already seen, but neither I nor

(01:31):
glen Barth had, of course had the honor of meeting her,
since she was taken ill. She received him very graciously
and was kind enough to thank me for the little
I had done for her. We seated her between us
in a comfortable chair, placed a footstool under her feet,
and then, in order that she should not have too
much excitement and that she might rest quietly, the Dean,

(01:51):
the Duke, and myself was sent about our business for
an hour. When we returned a basket of exquisite roses
still on the table, and examining it, the card of
Don Jose di Martinos was found to be attached to it.
It is some proof of the anxiety that Glenbarth felt
not to do anything that might worry her when I

(02:12):
say that he read the card and noted the giver
without betraying the least trace of annoyance. It is true
that he afterwards furnished me with his opinion of the
giver for presuming to send them. But the casual observer
would have declared that had he been present to observe
the manner in which he behaved when he had first
seen the gift, and he had taken no interest in

(02:32):
the matter at all. The next day, Miss Trevor was
permitted to get up a little earlier, and on the
day following a little earlier. Still in the meantime, more
flowers had arrived from the don, while he himself had
twice made personal inquiries as to the progress she was making.
It was not until the third day of her convalescence
that Nicola called to see his patient. I was sitting

(02:55):
alone with her at the time, my wife and our
other two guests having gone shopping in the I was
idly cutting a copy of a Touchness publication that I
procured for her on the previous day. The weather was
steadily growing warmer, and for this reason the windows were open,
and a flood of brilliant sunshine was streaming into the

(03:15):
room and the canal outside. Came the sounds of rippling
laughter and an unmistakably American voice called out, say, girls,
what do you think of Venice? Now you're here? And
then another voice replied, plenty a wader about, but they
don't seem to wash their buildings much. Miss Trevor was
about to speak, In fact, she had opened her lips
to do so, when a strange expression appeared upon her face.

(03:39):
She closed her eyes for a moment, and I began
to fear that she was ill. When she opened them again,
I was struck by a strange fact that the eyes
were certainly there, but there was no sort of life
in them. They were like those of a sleepwalker, who,
while his eyes are open, sees nothing of things about him.
A moment later there was a lock at the door,

(04:01):
and Dr Nikola, escorted by a servant, entered the room,
wishing us good morning. He crossed the room and shook
hands with Miss Trevor, afterwards with myself. You're certainly looking better,
he said, addressing his patient and placing his finger and
thumb upon her wrist as he spoke. I am much better,
she answered, but for some reason without her usual animation.

(04:23):
In that case, I think this will be the last
visit I shall pay you. In my professional capacity, he said,
he'd been an excellent patient in the interest of what
our friend Sir Richard here called science. Permit me to
offer you my grateful thanks. It is I who should
thank you, she answered, as she repeating some lesson she
had learnt by heart. I trust, then, on the principle

(04:44):
that one seldom or never acts as one should. But
you will not do it, he replied with a smile.
I'm amply rewarded by observing that the flush of health
is returning to your cheeks. He then inquired after my
wife's health. Bade me be careful of for the reasons
that since I behave so outrageously towards them, no other
doctors in Venice would attend us should she be taken ill,

(05:06):
and then rose to bid us adieu. It's a very
short visit, I said. Cannot be persuade you to give
us a little more of your society. I fear not,
he answered, I'm devenything quite a practice in Venice, and
my time is no longer my own. You have other patients,
I asked, in some surprise, for I did not think
he would condescend to such a thing. I have your

(05:27):
friend Don Martin. I was now up on my hands,
he said. The good Galaghetti is so unbomonedly grateful for
what I did for his child. Then he will insist
and try to draw me into experimenting upon other people.
Would it be indiscreet to ask? What is the matter
with the Don? I said, He does not look like
a man who would be likely to be an invalid.
I did not think there's so very much wrong with him,

(05:48):
Nico replied vaguely. At any rate, it's not anything that
can be very easily put right. When he left the room,
I accompanied him down the corridor as far as the hall.
The fact of the matter is he began when we
were alone together. Our friend, the Don has been running
the machinery of life a little too fast of late.
I am told that he lost no lesser sum than

(06:09):
fifty thousand pounds in English money last week, and certainly
his nerves are not what they once were. Is he
a gambler, then, I said, an inveterate gambler, I should say,
Nickla answered, when the Spany had taken to that sort
of amusement, he generally does it most thoroughly. Whatever the
Don's illness may have been it had certainly made its

(06:30):
mark upon his appearance. A chance to meet him that
afternoon on the rialto Bridge was thunderstruck at the change.
The man's face was white, and his eyes had dark
rings under them, and to my thinking, spoke for an
enfeebled heart. When he stopped to speak to me, I
noticed that his hands trembled, as though he were afflicted
with Vitus's dance. I hope Miss Trevor's better, he said,

(06:54):
after I had commented upon the fact that I had
not seen him of late, much better, I answered, In fact,
she may be now said to be convalescent. I was
sorry to hear, doctor Nicoll, however, that you yourself are
not quite the thing. Nerves only nerves, he answered, with
what was almost a frightened look in his eyes. Doctor
Nicholla will set me right in no time. I'm sure

(07:14):
of that. I've had a run of beastly up lately.
They's upset me more than I could say. I knew
to what he referred, but I did not betray my knowledge.
After that, he bade me farewell and continued his walk.
That evening, another exquisite basket of flowers arrived from Miss
Trevor there was no card attached to it, but as

(07:34):
the Duke denied all knowledge of it, I felt certain
as to whence it came. On the day following, for
the first time since her illness, Miss Trevor was able
to leave the house and go for a short airing
upon the canal. We were rejoiced to take her and
made arrangements for her comfort. But there was one young
man who was more tentative than all the rest of

(07:55):
the party. Put together with Miss Trevor like another cushion.
Is she quite sure that she was comfortable? Which she
preferred a gondola to a barker. I said nothing, but
I wondered what the Dean thought, for he is an
observant old gentleman. As for the young lady herself, she
accepted the other's attention to a most charming good humor,
and thus all went merry as marriage bells. On the

(08:18):
day following she went out again on the afternoon, and
the next day felt so much stronger as to express
a desire to walk for a short time on the
piazza of Saint Mark. We callingly landed at the well
known steps, strolled slowly towards the cathedral. It was a
lovely afternoon, the air being soft and warm, with a
gentle breeze blowing in from the sea. It is needless

(08:42):
for me to say that Glen Barth was in the
seventh Heaven of Delight and was already beginning to drop
sundry little confidences into my ear. Her illness had ruined
the opportunity he had hoped to have had, but he
was going to make up for it now. Indeed, it
looked very much as if she had last made up
her mind concerned him. But having had one experience of

(09:02):
the sex, I was not going to assure myself that
all was satisfactory until a definite announcement was made by
the lady of itself. As it turned out, it was
just as well that I did so, for that afternoon,
not altogether unexpectedly, I must confess, was destined to prove
the truth of the old saying that the course of
true love never runs smooth. Miss Trevor, with the Duke

(09:26):
on one side and my wife on the other, was
slowly passing across the Great Square when a man suddenly
appeared before us from one of the shops on our right.
This individual was no other than the Don Josse Di Mantinos,
who raised his hat politely to the ladies and expressed
his delight at seeing Miss Trevor abroad once more. As usual,

(09:47):
he was faultlessly dressed, and on the whole looked somewhat
better in health than he had done when I had
last seen him. By some means I scarcely know how
it was done, he managed to slip it between my
wife and Miss Trevor, and in this order we made
our way towards our usual resting place, Florian's Cafe. Never
since we had known him had the Don exerted himself

(10:09):
so much to please The Duke, however, did not seem satisfied.
His high spirits had entirely left him, and in consequence
he was now as quiet as he had been talkative before.
It was plain to all of us that the Don
admired Miss Trevor, and that he wanted her to become
aware of the fact. Next morning, he made an excuse
and joined our party again. At this the Duke's anger

(10:32):
knew no bounds. Personally, I must confess that I was
very sorry for the young fellow, was very hard upon him,
and just as he was progressing so favorably that another
should appear upon the scene and distract the lady's attention.
Yet there was only one way of ending it, if
only he could summon up sufficient courage to do it.

(10:52):
I fear, however, that he was either too uncertain as
to a result, or that he dreaded his fate should
she consign him to the outer darkness too much to
put it into execution. This reason, he had to submit
to sharing her smiles with the Spaniard, which, if only
he could have understood, it was an excellent thing for
his patience and a salutary trial for his character. Meanwhile,

(11:17):
my wife looked on in despair. I thought it was
all settled, she said, pathetically, on one occasion, And now
they are as far off as ever where on earth.
Does that troublesome man come between them? Because he has
quite as much right to be there as the other.
I answered, If the Duke wants her, let him ask her.
That's just what he won't do. The whole matter should

(11:37):
have been settled by now. It's all very well. Few
to say that she returned. The poor boy would have
done it before Gertrude was taken ill, but that you
opposed him and a very proper proceeding too, I answered,
Miss Trevor was under my charge, and I will certainly
not going to any young man, doubtless very desirable. But
he had only known the two days proposed to her,

(11:58):
and get sent about his bi business, render it impossible
for our party to continue together, and by so doing,
take all the pleasure out of our holiday. So as
only of yourself you were thinking, She returned with that
wonderful inconsistency that is such a marked trait in her coat.
Why do you urge him now to do it? Because
Miss Gertrude is no longer under my charge, I answered,

(12:21):
Her father is here and is able to look after her.
And an idea occurred to me, and I acted upon
it at once. When you come to think of it,
my dear, I said, as if I had been carefully
considering the question, Why should the don not make Gertrude
as good a husband as Glen Barth. He is rich,
doubtless comes of a very good family, and would certainly

(12:42):
make a very presentable figure in society. She stared at
me aghast Well, she said, in astonishment, I must say
that I think you are a loyal friend. You know
that the Duke has set his heart upon marrying her.
Yet you are chappening the cause of his rival. I
should never have thought it of you, Dick. I hastened
to assure that I was not in earnest, But for

(13:03):
a moment I almost fancy she thought I was. If
you are on the Duke's side, are whether you encouraged
Don Martinos to continue his visit? She went on, after
the other matter had been satisfactory settled. I cannot tell
you how much I dislike him. I feel that I
would rather see Gertrude married to a crossing sweeper than
to that man. How can she even tolerate him? I

(13:24):
do not know. I find it very difficult to do so.
Boardohn I said, it does not appeared to have made
very good impression in common justice. I must admit, so
far as I am concerned, he has been invariably extremely
civil because he wants your interest. You are the head
of the house. It's a pretty fiction. Let it pass. However,
she pretended not to notice my gibe. He's gambling away

(13:48):
every hepe kne he possesses. I regarded her with unfeigned astonishment.
How could she have come aware of this? Fact, and
put the question to her some one connected with the
hotel tom My maid, As she answered, they say he
never returns to the hotel until between two and three
in the morning. He's not married, or retorted. She safe

(14:09):
no remark to this speech, but bidding me to keep
my eyes open and beware lest there should be trouble
between the two men, left me to my own thoughts.
The warning she had given me was not a futile one,
for it needed only half an hour to see that
Glen Barth and Martinos were desperately jealous at one another.

(14:29):
They eyed each other when they met, as if at
any moment they were prepared to fly at each other's throats.
Once the Duke's behavior was such as to warrant my
speaking to him upon the subject. When we were alone together,
my dear fellow, I said, I must ask you to
keep yourself in hand. I don't like having to talk
to you, but I have to remember that there are

(14:49):
ladies in the case. And why on earth doesn't Martinos
keep out of my way? He asked angrily. You pitch
into me for getting wild, but don't you see how
villainously Rudy is to me? He contradicts me as often
as he can, and for the rest of the time
treats me as if I were a child. In return,
you treat him as if he were an outsider and
had no right to look at much less to speak

(15:11):
to Miss Trevor. Nevertheless, he is our friend, or if
he is not our friend, he has at least been
introduced to us by a friend. Now. I have no
desire that you should quarrel at all, but if you
must do so, let it be when you are alone together,
and also when you're out of the hotel. I had
no idea how literally my words were to be taken.

(15:33):
That night, According to a customer and later adopted Martinez
put in an appearance after dinner and brought his guitar
with him as he bade us good evening. I looked
at the Duke's face. It was pale and set, as
if he had had at last come to an understanding
with himself. Presently, my wife and I sang a duet
together in a fashion that pointed very plainly to the

(15:53):
fact that our thoughts were elsewhere. Miss Trevor thanked us
in a tone that showed me that she had also
given but the small attention to our performance. Then Gertrude
sang a song of Tossty's very prettily, and was rewarded
with enthusiastic applause. After this, the don was called upon
to perform. He took up his guitar, and, having tuned it,

(16:15):
struck a few chords and began to sing. Though I
look back upon that moment now with real pain, I
must confess that I do not think I had ever
heard him sing better. The merry laughter of the song
suited his voice to perfection. It was plainly a comic ditty,
with some absurd imitations of a farm yard at the

(16:35):
end of each verse. When he had finished, my wife
politely asked him to give us a translation of the words.
Fate willed that she should ask, I suppose, and also
that he should answer it. It was the story of
a foolish young man who loved the fair maid, he replied,
speaking with the utmost deliberation. Unfortunately, however, he was afraid

(16:56):
to tell her of his love. He bind to be
with her. Yet, whenever when he was desirous of declaring
his passion, his courage failed him at the last moment,
and he was compelled to talk of the most commonplace things,
such as the animals upon his father's farm. At last, she,
tiring of such a laggard, sent him away in disgust

(17:16):
to learn how to woo. In the meantime, she married
a man who was better acquainted with his business. Whether
the song was exactly as he had described it, I'm
not in a position to say. The fact, however, remains
that at least all of our part, he saw the
insinuation and bitterly resented it. I saw the Duke's face
flush and then go pale. I thought for a moment

(17:39):
he was going to say something, but he contented himself
by picking up a book from the table by his
side and glancing carelessly at it. I could guess, by
the way his hands gripped it something of the storm
that was raging in his breast. My wife, meanwhile, had
turned the conversation into another channel by asking the mean

(18:00):
what he had thought of a certain old church had
visited that morning. This gave a little relief, but not
very much. Ten minutes later, the don rose and Bader's
good night with a sneer on his face. He even
extended his good wish to the Duke, who bowed, but
did not reply. When he had gone, my wife gave
the signal for a general dispersal, and Gwen Barth and

(18:22):
I were presently left in the drawing room alone. I
half expected an immediate outburst, but to my surprise, he
said nothing on the subject. I had no intention of
referring to it unless he did, and so the matter
remained for the time in abeyance. After a conversation on
general topics, lasting perhaps a quarter of an hour, we
wished each other good night and retired to our respective rooms.

(18:47):
When I entered my wife's room later, I was prepared
for the discussion, which I knew was inevitable. What do
you think of your friend now? She asked, with a
touch of sarcasm thrown into the word friend. He of
course heard he insulted the Duke. I noticed that he
did a very foolish thing, not only for his own
interests with us, but for several other reasons. You may

(19:08):
rely upon it that if ever he had any chance
with Gertrude, he never had the remotest chance. I can
promise you that. My wife interrupted, I say, if ever
he had a chance with Gertrude, he has lost it
now surely that should satisfy you. It does not satisfy
me that he should be rude by our guests at
any time. But I am particularly averse to as insulting

(19:30):
him in our presence. You need not worry yourself, I said,
and all probability you will see no more of him.
I shall convey your hint to him upon the subject.
It will not be pleasant for Anstruther's sake. Mister Anstruther
should have known better than to have sent him to us,
She replied. There is one thing I'm devoutly thankful for,
and that is that the Duke took it so beautifully.

(19:51):
He might have been angry and have made a scene. Indeed,
I should not have blamed him had he done so.
I did not ask her, for reasons of my own,
whether to be sure that his grace of glen Bath
was not angry. I must confess that I was rendered
more uneasy by the quiet way he had taken it.
And if he had burst into an explosion, Concealed fires
are invariably more dangerous than open ones. Next morning, after breakfast,

(20:17):
while we were smoking together in the balcony, a note
was brought to gwen Bath. He took it, opened it,
and when he had read the contents, thrust it hastily
in his pocket. No answer, he said, as he lit
a cigar, and I thought his hand trembled a little
as he put the match to it. His face was
certainly paler than usual. There was a far away look
in his eyes that showed me that it was not

(20:39):
the canal or the houses opposite that he was looking upon.
There is something behind all of this, and I must
find out what it is, I said to myself. Surely
he can't be going to make a fool of himself.
I knew, however, that my chance of getting anything satisfactory
out of him lay in saying nothing about the matter.
Just then, I must play my game in another fashion.

(21:02):
What do you say if we run down to Rome
next week? I asked, after a little pause. My wife
and Miss Travissey think they would enjoy it. There are
lots of people we know there. Just now, I should
be very pleased, he answered, but with a visible effort.
At any other time he would have jumped eagerly at
the suggestion. Decidedly there was something wrong at luncheon. He

(21:22):
was preoccupied so much as I could see Miss Trevor
wondered what was the matter. Had she known the terrible
suspicion that was growing in my own mind, I wonder
what she would have said, and also how she would
have acted. That afternoon, the ladies resolved to remain at home,
and the Dean decided to stay with them. In consequence,

(21:42):
the Duke and I went out together. He was still
as quiet as he had been in the morning, but
as yet I had not been able to screw up
my courage to such a pitch as to be able
to put the question to him Once. However, I asked
the reason for his quietness, and received the evasive reply
that it was not feeling quite up to the mark
that day. This time I came a little nearer to

(22:04):
the point. You're not worrying about that wretched fellow's rudeness,
I hope, I said, looking him fairly and squarely in
the face, While in the least he answered, why should
I be well, because I know you are hot tempered.
I returned, rather puzzled to find an explanation for him. Oh,
I'll have it out with him at some time or other,
I have no doubt, he continued, and had changed the

(22:25):
subject by referring to some letters here from home that day.
When we later returned to the hotel for afternoon tea,
we found the two ladies eagerly awaiting our coming. From
the moment at the end of the room. Miss Trevor
was graciousness itself to the young man. She smiled upon
him and encouraged him until he scarcely knew whether he
was standing upon his head or his heels. I fancied

(22:47):
she was anxious to compensate him for the Don's rudeness
to him. That evening, we all complained of feeling tired
and callingly went to bed early. I was the latest
of the party, and my man had not left my
dressing room more than a minute before he returned with
the information at the Duke's Valet. Would be glad if
he could have a few words with me. Send him in,

(23:08):
I said, forthwith the man made his appearance. What is it, Henry,
I inquired, as your master. Not well, I don't know
what's wrong with his grace, sir, the man replied, I'm
very much frightened about him, and I thought I would
come to you at once. Why what is the matter?
He seem well enough when I bade him good night
half an hour ago. It isn't that, sir. He's well
enough in his body, said the man. There's something else

(23:30):
behind it all. I know, sir, he won't mind my
coming to you. I didn't know what else to do.
You'd better tell me everything, and I shall know how
to act. What do you think is the reason of it? Well, sir,
it's like this, Henry went on. His grace has been
very quiet all day. Wrote a lot of letters this
morning and put them in his dispatch box. I tell
you what to do with them later, Henry, he said,

(23:50):
when he had finished. Well, I didn't think very much
of that. But when to night he asked me what
i'd made up or mind to do with myself, if
ever I should leave his service, and told me that
he had put it down in his will that I
was thought five hundred pounds if he should die before
I left him. I began to think there was something
the matter. Well, Sir, I took his thing, sir night,
and was in the act of leaving a room when

(24:12):
he called me back. Go out early for a swim
in the seat to morrow morning, he said, But I
shan't say anything to sir. Richard Hatteras about it, because
I happened to know that he thinks the currents about
it are dangerous. Well, one never knows what might turn up.
He goes on to say, And if by any chance, Henry,
though I hoped such a thing will not happen, I
should be caught and should not return, won't you give

(24:32):
this letter, Sir Richard? But remember this you are on
no account to touch it till midday? Do you understand?
I told him not. I did, But I was so
frightened by what he said I made up my mind
to come and see you at once. This was disturbing intelligence. Indeed,
and what he said there could be no doubt that
the Don and gwen Bath contemplated fighting a duel. In

(24:54):
that case, what was to be done to attempt to
reason with the Duke in his present humor would be absurd. Sides,
his honor was at stake. And though I am totally
against jewels, that counts for something. I am glad you
told me this, Henry, I said, for now I shall
know how to act. Don't worry about your master's safety.
He's safe in my hands. He shall have his swim

(25:15):
to morrow morning, or I shall take very good care
that he is watched. He may go to bed with
an easy heart, and don't think about that letter. It
will not be needed, for he will come to no harm.
The man thanked me civilly and withdrew considerably relieved in
his mind by his interview with me. Then I sat
myself down to think the matter out. What was I

(25:37):
to do? Doubtless that Don was an experienced duelist or
glen bath on a very fair shot with a rifle
or fowling piece, but I have no chance against him
with a pistol or the sword. It was, by no
means an enviable position to be placed in, and I
fully realized my responsibility in the matter. I felt that
I needed help, But to whom shall I apply for it?

(25:59):
The deed would be worse than useless. While to go
to the Don and ask him to sacrifice his honor
to our friendship for gren Barth would be to run
the risk of being shown the door. Then I thought
of Niccoler and made my mind up to go to
him at once. Since the Duke had spoken of leaving
the hotel earlier in the morning, there could be no
doubt as to the hour of the meeting. In that case,

(26:21):
there was no time to be lost. I thereupon went
to explain matters to my wife. I had a suspicion
this would happen, she said, when she had heard me out,
Oh Didny must stop it without fail. I should never
forgive myself in anything were to happen to him while
he is our guest. Go to doctor nicoll at once
and tell him everything, and implore him to help us
as he has helped us before. Thus encouraged, I left

(26:43):
her and went back to my dressing room to complete
my attire. This done, I descended to the hall to
endeavor to obtain a gondola. Good fortune favored me for
the American party, who had but lately arrived at the
hotel and just returned from the theater. I engaged the
man who had brought them and told him to take
me to the Palace Lavici with all possible speed. It's

(27:05):
a late hour, Senor, he replied, I'd rather go anywhere
to that house in the Rio de Consiglio. You'll be
well paid for your trouble and also for your fear,
I replied, as I got into the boat. Next moment
we were on our way, a light was burning in
Nicholas's room. As we drew up at the palace steps,
I bade the gondolier wait for me, and to insure

(27:26):
his doing so, refused to pay him until my return.
Then I rang the bell and was rewarded in a
few minutes by hearing nicholas footsteps on the flagstones of
the courtyard. When the door opened, he was vastly surprised
at seeing me. He soon recovered his equilibrium. However, it
took more than a small surprise to upset Nicola. He

(27:49):
invited me to enter. I hope there is nothing wrong,
he said, politely, or otherwise, how am I to account
for this late calls? Something is very wrong, indeed, I said,
I've come to consult you and to ask for your assistance.
By this time he had reached his own room, That
horrible room, I remembered so well. The fact of the

(28:10):
matter is, I said, seating myself in the chair he
offered me. As I spoke, the Duke of glen Barth
and Don de Martinos have arranged to fight a duel.
Soon after daybreak, fight a duel, Nippert repeated, So it's
come to this, has it? Well, what do you want
me to do. Surely it is needless for me to say,
I replied, I wanted to help me stop it. You

(28:32):
like the Duke, I know surely you will not allow
that brave young life be sacrificed by that spaniard. Well,
the way you speak would appear that you do not
care for Martinos, Nikker replied frankly. Confess that I do not,
I replied, who was introduced to me by a personal friend,
But none of my party care very much for him,
and now this new affair only adds to our dislike.

(28:54):
He insulted the Duke most unwarrantably in my drawing room
last night. And this duel is the result, always the same,
always the same, Nicola muttered to himself. But the end
is coming and his evil deeds will bear their own fruit.
Turning to me, he said aloud, since you wish it,
I will help you. Don Jose is a magnificent shot,

(29:15):
and he will placed a bullet in the Duke's anatomy
wherever he may choose to receive it. The issue would
never for one moment be in doubt. How do you
know that Don is such a good shot, I inquired,
with considerable surprise. For until the moment that I'd introduced
him to each other. I had no idea that they
never met. I know more about him than you think,

(29:36):
he answered, fixing his glittering eyes upon me. But now
to business. If they fight at daybreak, there's not much
time to be lost. He went to his writing table
at the other side of the room and wrote a
few lines on a sheet of notepaper, placing it in
an envelope. He inquired whether I had told my gondolier
to wait. Upon my answering in the affirmative, he left

(29:56):
me and went down the stairs. What have you done,
I inquired. He returned, I sent word to an agent
I sometimes employ, He said, he will keep his eyes open,
and you'd better get back to your hotel and to bed.
Sleep secure on my promise that the two men shall
not fight. When you are called, take the gondoli you
will find awaiting outside the hotel, and I want meet

(30:18):
you at a certain place. Now, let me wish you
a good night. He conducted me to the hall below
and saw me into the gondola, and saying something to
the gondolier that I did not catch. He bade me adieu,
and I returned to the hotel punctually. At five o'clock,
I was awakened by tapping on my bedroom door. I

(30:39):
dressed gonder cloak for the morning was cold, and descended
to the hall. The night watchman informed me that a
gondola was awaiting me at the steps, and conducted me
to it with a word. I got in, and the
little craft shot out into the canal. We entered a
narrow street on the other side. He took two or
three turnings to right and then left, and at last

(31:01):
came to a stand still at some steps that I
had never noticed before. A tall figure wrapped in a
black cloak was awaiting. As there it was Niccola entering
the gondola. He took his place at my side. Then
once more we set off at the same moment, so
Niccola informed me glem Bath was leaving the hotel. End

(31:23):
of Chapter ten.