acquaintance。Ifeltthathehadtakenalikingtome，and，inspiteofwhatIhadheardabouthisbehaviortoMissElmslie，inspiteofthesuspicionswhichthehistoryofhisfamilyandhisownconducthadarrayedagainsthim，Ibegantolike\"MadMonkton\"asmuchashelikedme。Wetookmanyaquietridetogetherinthecountry，andsailedoftenalongtheshoresoftheBayoneitherside。Butfortwoeccentricitiesinhisconduct，whichIcouldnotatallunderstand，Ishouldsoonhavefeltasmuchatmyeaseinhissocietyasifhehadbeenmyownbrother。
ThefirstoftheseeccentricitiesconsistedinthereappearanceonseveraloccasionsoftheoddexpressioninhiseyeswhichI
hadfirstseenwhenheaskedmewhetherIknewanythingabouttheduel。Nomatterwhatweweretalkingabout，orwherewehappenedtobe，thereweretimeswhenhewouldsuddenlylookawayfrommyface，nowononesideofme，nowontheother，butalwayswheretherewasnothingtosee，andalwayswiththesameintensityandfiercenessinhiseyes。Thislookedsolikemadness——orhypochondriaattheleast——thatIfeltafraidtoaskhimaboutit，andalwayspretendednottoobservehim。
Thesecondpeculiarityinhisconductwasthatheneverreferred，whileinmycompany，tothereportsabouthiserrandatNaples，andneveroncespokeofMissElmslie，orofhislifeatWincotAbbey。Thisnotonlyastonishedme，butamazedthosewhohadnoticedourintimacy，andwhohadmadesurethatImustbethedepositaryofallhissecrets。Butthetimewasnearathandwhenthismystery，andsomeothermysteriesofwhichIhadnosuspicionatthatperiod，werealltoberevealed。
Imethimonenightatalargeball，givenbyaRussiannobleman，whosenameIcouldnotpronouncethen，andcannotremembernow。I
hadwanderedawayfromreception—room，ballroom，andcardroom，toasmallapartmentatoneextremityofthepalace，whichwashalfconservatory，halfboudoir，andwhichhadbeenprettilyilluminatedfortheoccasionwithChineselanterns。NobodywasintheroomwhenIgotthere。TheviewovertheMediterranean，bathedinthebrightsoftnessofItalianmoonlight，wassolovelythatIremainedforalongtimeatthewindow，lookingout，andlisteningtothedance—musicwhichfaintlyreachedmefromtheballroom。MythoughtswerefarawaywiththerelationsIhadleftinEngland，whenIwasstartledoutofthembyhearingmynamesoftlypronounced。
Ilookedrounddirectly，andsawMonktonstandingintheroom。A
lividpalenessoverspreadhisface，andhiseyeswereturnedawayfrommewiththesameextraordinaryexpressioninthemtowhichI
havealreadyalluded。
\"Doyoumindleavingtheballearlyto—night？\"heasked，stillnotlookingatme。
\"Notatall，\"saidI。\"CanIdoanythingforyou？Areyouill？\"
\"No——atleastnothingtospeakof。Willyoucometomyrooms？\"
\"Atonce，ifyoulike。\"
\"No，notatonce。_I_mustgohomedirectly；butdon’tyoucometomeforhalfanhouryet。Youhavenotbeenatmyroomsbefore，Iknow，butyouwilleasilyfindthemout；theyarecloseby。
Thereisacardwithmyaddress。I_must_speaktoyouto—night；
mylifedependsonit。Praycome！forGod’ssake，comewhenthehalfhourisup！\"
Ipromisedtobepunctual，andheleftmedirectly。
MostpeoplewillbeeasilyabletoimaginethestateofnervousimpatienceandvagueexpectationinwhichIpassedtheallottedperiodofdelay，afterhearingsuchwordsasthoseMonktonhadspokentome。BeforethehalfhourhadquiteexpiredIbegantomakemywayoutthroughtheballroom。
Attheheadofthestaircasemyfriend，the_attache，_metme。
\"What！goingawayalready？\"Saidhe。
\"Yes；andonaverycuriousexpedition。IamgoingtoMonkton’srooms，byhisowninvitation。\"
\"Youdon’tmeanit！Uponmyhonor，you’reaboldfellowtotrustyourselfalonewith’MadMonkton’whenthemoonisatthefull。\"
\"Heisill，poorfellow。Besides，Idon’tthinkhimhalfasmadasyoudo。\"
\"Wewon’tdisputeaboutthat；butmarkmywords，hehasnotaskedyoutogowherenovisitorhaseverbeenadmittedbeforewithoutaspecialpurpose。Ipredictthatyouwillseeorhearsomethingto—nightwhichyouwillrememberfortherestofyourlife。\"
Weparted。WhenIknockedatthecourtyardgateofthehousewhereMonktonlived，myfriend’slastwordsonthepalacestaircaserecurredtome，and，thoughIhadlaughedathimwhenhespokethem，Ibegantosuspecteventhenthathispredictionwouldbefulfilled。
CHAPTERIII。
THEporterwholetmeintothehousewhereMonktonliveddirectedmetotheflooronwhichhisroomsweresituated。Ongettingupstairs，Ifoundhisdooronthelandingajar。Heheardmyfootsteps，Isuppose，forhecalledtometocomeinbeforeI
couldknock。
Ientered，andfoundhimsittingbythetable，withsomelooselettersinhishand，whichhewasjusttyingtogetherintoapacket。Inoticed，asheaskedmetositdown，thathisexpressionlookedmorecomposed，thoughthepalenesshadnotyetlefthisface。Hethankedmeforcoming；repeatedthathehadsomethingveryimportanttosaytome；andthenstoppedshort，apparentlytoomuchembarrassedtoproceed。Itriedtosethimathiseasebyassuringhimthat，ifmyassistanceoradvicecouldbeofanyuse，Iwasreadytoplacemyselfandmytimeheartilyandunreservedlyathisservice。
AsIsaidthisIsawhiseyesbeginningtowanderawayfrommyface——towanderslowly，inchbyinch，asitwere，untiltheystoppedatacertainpoint，withthesamefixedstareintovacancywhichhadsooftenstartledmeonformeroccasions。ThewholeexpressionofhisfacealteredasIhadneveryetseenitalter；hesatbeforemelookinglikeamaninadeath—trance。
\"Youareverykind，\"hesaid，slowlyandfaintly，speaking，nottome，butinthedirectioninwhichhiseyeswerestillfixed。
\"Iknowyoucanhelpme；but——\"
Hestopped；hisfacewhitenedhorribly，andtheperspirationbrokeoutalloverit。Hetriedtocontinue——saidawordortwo——thenstoppedagain。Seriouslyalarmedabouthim，IrosefrommychairwiththeintentionofgettinghimsomewaterfromajugwhichIsawstandingonaside—table。
Hesprangupatthesamemoment。AllthesuspicionsIhadeverheardwhisperedagainsthissanityflashedovermymindinaninstant，andIinvoluntarilysteppedbackapaceortwo。
\"Stop，\"hesaid，seatinghimselfagain；\"don’tmindme；anddon’tleaveyourchair。Iwant——Iwish，ifyouplease，tomakealittlealteration，beforewesayanythingmore。Doyoumindsittinginastronglight？\"
\"Notintheleast。\"
Ihadhithertobeenseatedintheshadeofhisreading—lamp，theonlylightintheroom。
AsIansweredhimheroseagain，and，goingintoanotherapartment，returnedwithalargelampinhishand；thentooktwocandlesfromtheside—table，andtwoothersfromthechimneypiece；placedthemall，tomyamazement，together，soastostandexactlybetweenus，andthentriedtolightthem。Hishandtrembledsothathewasobligedtogiveuptheattempt，andallowmetocometohisassistance。Byhisdirection，Itooktheshadeoffthereading—lampafterIhadlittheotherlampandthefourcandles。Whenwesatdownagain，withthisconcentrationoflightbetweenus，hisbetterandgentlermannerbegantoreturn，andwhilehenowaddressedmehespokewithouttheslightesthesitation。
\"Itisuselesstoaskwhetheryouhaveheardthereportsaboutme，\"hesaid；\"Iknowthatyouhave。Mypurposeto—nightistogiveyousomereasonableexplanationoftheconductwhichhasproducedthosereports。Mysecrethasbeenhithertoconfidedtoonepersononly；Iamnowabouttotrustittoyourkeeping，withaspecialobjectwhichwillappearasIgoon。First，however，I
mustbeginbytellingyouexactlywhatthegreatdifficultyiswhichobligesmetobestillabsentfromEngland。Iwantyouradviceandyourhelp；and，toconcealnothingfromyou，Iwantalsototestyourforbearanceandyourfriendlysympathy，beforeIcanventureonthrustingmymiserablesecretintoyourkeeping。
Willyoupardonthisapparentdistrustofyourfrankandopencharacter——thisapparentingratitudeforyourkindnesstowardmeeversincewefirstmet？\"
Ibeggedhimnottospeakofthesethings，buttogoon。
\"Youknow，\"heproceeded，\"thatIamheretorecoverthebodyofmyUncleStephen，andtocarryitbackwithmetoourfamilyburial—placeinEngland，andyoumustalsobeawarethatIhavenotyetsucceededindiscoveringhisremains。Trytopassover，forthepresent，whatevermayseemextraordinaryandincomprehensibleinsuchapurposeasmineis，andreadthisnewspaperarticlewheretheink—lineistraced。Itistheonlyevidencehithertoobtainedonthesubjectofthefatalduelinwhichmyunclefell，andIwanttohearwhatcourseofproceedingtheperusalofitmaysuggesttoyouaslikelytobebestonmypart。\"
HehandedmeanoldFrenchnewspaper。ThesubstanceofwhatI
readthereisstillsofirmlyimpressedonmymemorythatIamcertainofbeingabletorepeatcorrectlyatthisdistanceoftimeallthefactswhichitisnecessaryformetocommunicatetothereader。
Thearticlebegan，Iremember，witheditorialremarksonthegreatcuriositythenfeltinregardtothefatalduelbetweentheCountSt。LoandMr。StephenMonkton，anEnglishgentleman。Thewriterproceededtodwellatgreatlengthontheextraordinarysecrecyinwhichthewholeaffairhadbeeninvolvedfromfirsttolast，andtoexpressahopethatthepublicationofacertainmanuscript，towhichhisintroductoryobservationsreferred，mightleadtotheproductionoffreshevidencefromotherandbetter—informedquarters。ThemanuscripthadbeenfoundamongthepapersofMonsieurFoulon，Mr。Monkton’ssecond，whohaddiedatParisofarapiddeclineshortlyafterreturningtohishomeinthatcityfromthesceneoftheduel。Thedocumentwasunfinished，havingbeenleftincompleteattheveryplacewherethereaderwouldmostwishtofinditcontinued。Noreasoncouldbediscoveredforthis，andnosecondmanuscriptbearingontheall—importantsubjecthadbeenfound，afterthestrictestsearchamongthepapersleftbythedeceased。
Thedocumentitselfthenfollowed。
ItpurportedtobeanagreementprivatelydrawnupbetweenMr。
Monkton’ssecond，MonsieurFoulon，andtheCountSt。Lo’ssecond，MonsieurDalville，andcontainedastatementofallthearrangementsforconductingtheduel。Thepaperwasdated\"Naples，February22d，\"andwasdividedintosomesevenoreightclauses。Thefirstclausedescribedtheoriginandnatureofthequarrel——averydisgracefulaffaironbothsides，worthneitherrememberingnorrepeating。Thesecondclausestatedthat，thechallengedmanhavingchosenthepistolashisweapon，andthechallenger（anexcellentswordsman），having，onhisside，thereuponinsistedthattheduelshouldbefoughtinsuchamannerastomakethefirstfiredecisiveinitsresults，theseconds，seeingthatfatalconsequencesmustinevitablyfollowthehostilemeeting，determined，firstofall，thattheduelshouldbekeptaprofoundsecretfromeverybody，andthattheplacewhereitwastobefoughtshouldnotbemadeknownbeforehand，eventotheprincipalsthemselves。ItwasaddedthatthisexcessofprecautionhadbeenrenderedabsolutelynecessaryinconsequenceofarecentaddressfromthePopetotherulingpowersinItalycommentingonthescandalousfrequencyofthepracticeofdueling，andurgentlydesiringthatthelawsagainstduelistsshouldbeenforcedforthefuturewiththeutmostrigor。
Thethirdclausedetailedthemannerinwhichithadbeenarrangedthattheduelshouldbefought。
Thepistolshavingbeenloadedbythesecondsontheground，thecombatantsweretobeplacedthirtypacesapart，andweretotossupforthefirstfire。Themanwhowonwastoadvancetenpacesmarkedoutforhimbeforehand——andwasthentodischargehispistol。Ifhemissed，orfailedtodisablehisopponent，thelatterwasfreetoadvance，ifhechose，thewholeremainingtwentypacesbeforehefiredinhisturn。Thisarrangementinsuredthedecisiveterminationoftheduelatthefirstdischargeofthepistols，andbothprincipalsandsecondspledgedthemselvesoneithersidetoabidebyit。
ThefourthclausestatedthatthesecondshadagreedthattheduelshouldbefoughtoutoftheNeapolitanStates，butleftthemselvestobeguidedbycircumstancesastotheexactlocalityinwhichitshouldtakeplace。Theremainingclauses，sofarasI
rememberthem，weredevotedtodetailingthedifferentprecautionstobeadoptedforavoidingdiscovery。TheduelistsandtheirsecondsweretoleaveNaplesinseparateparties；weretochangecarriagesseveraltimes；weretomeetatacertaintown，or，failingthat，atacertainpost—houseonthehighroadfromNaplestoRome；weretocarrydrawing—books，colorboxes，andcamp—stools，asiftheyhadbeenartistsoutonasketching—tour；andweretoproceedtotheplaceoftheduelonfoot，employingnoguides，forfearoftreachery。Suchgeneralarrangementsasthese，andothersforfacilitatingtheflightofthesurvivorsaftertheaffairwasover，formedtheconclusionofthisextraordinarydocument，whichwassigned，ininitialsonly，byboththeseconds。
Justbelowtheinitialsappearedthebeginningofanarrative，dated\"Paris，\"andevidentlyintendedtodescribetheduelitselfwithextrememinuteness。Thehand—writingwasthatofthedeceasedsecond。
MonsieurFoulon，tiregentlemaninquestion，statedhisbeliefthatcircumstancesmighttranspirewhichwouldrenderanaccountbyaneyewitnessofthehostilemeetingbetweenSt。LoandMr。
Monktonanimportantdocument。Heproposed，therefore，asoneoftheseconds，totestifythattheduelhadbeenfoughtinexactaccordancewiththetermsoftheagreement，boththeprincipalsconductingthemselveslikemenofgallantryandhonor（！）。Andhefurtherannouncedthat，inordernottocompromiseanyone，heshouldplacethepapercontaininghistestimonyinsafehands，withstrictdirectionsthatitwasonnoaccounttobeopenedexceptinacaseofthelastemergency。
Afterthuspreamble，MonsieurFoulonrelatedthattheduelhadbeenfoughttwodaysafterthedrawingupoftheagreement，inalocalitytowhichaccidenthadconductedtheduelingparty。（Thenameoftheplacewasnotmentioned，noreventheneighborhoodinwhichitwassituated。）Themenhavingbeenplacedaccordingtopreviousarrangement，theCountSt。Lohadwonthetossforthefirstfire，hadadvancedhistenpaces，andhadshothisopponentinthebody。Mr。Monktondidnotimmediatelyfall，butstaggeredforwardsomesixorsevenpaces，dischargedhispistolineffectuallyatthecount，anddroppedtothegroundadeadman。
MonsieurFoulonthenstatedthathetorealeaffromhispocketbook，wroteonitabriefdescriptionofthemannerinwhichMr。Monktonhaddied，andpinnedthepapertohisclothes；
thisproceedinghavingbeenrenderednecessarybythepeculiarnatureoftheplanorganizedonthespotforsafelydisposingofthedeadbody。Whatthisplanwas，orwhatwasdonewiththecorpse，didnotappear，foratthisimportantpointthenarrativeabruptlybrokeoff。
Afoot—noteinthenewspapermerelystatedthemannerinwhichthedocumenthadbeenobtainedforpublication，andrepeatedtheannouncementcontainedintheeditor’sintroductoryremarks，thatnocontinuationhadbeenfoundbythepersonsintrustedwiththecareofMonsieurFoulon’spapers。IhavenowgiventhewholesubstanceofwhatIread，andhavementionedallthatwasthenknownofMr。StephenMonkton’sdeath。
WhenIgavethenewspaperbacktoAlfredhewastoomuchagitatedtospeak，butheremindedmebyasignthathewasanxiouslywaitingtohearwhatIhadtosay。Mypositionwasaverytryingandaverypainfulone。Icouldhardlytellwhatconsequencesmightnotfollowanywantofcautiononmypart，andcouldthinkatfirstofnosaferplanthanquestioninghimcarefullybeforeI
committedmyselfeitheronewayortheother。
\"WillyouexcusemeifIaskyouaquestionortwobeforeIgiveyoumyadvice？\"saidI。
Henoddedimpatiently。
\"Yes，yes——anyquestionsyoulike。\"
\"Wereyouatanytimeinthehabitofseeingyourunclefrequently？\"
\"Ineversawhimmorethantwiceinmylife——oneachoccasionwhenIwasamerechild。\"
\"Thenyoucouldhavehadnoverystrongpersonalregardforhim？\"
’Regardforhim！Ishouldhavebeenashamedtofeelanyregardforhim。Hedisgraceduswhereverhewent。\"
\"MayIaskifanyfamilymotiveisinvolvedinyouranxietytorecoverhisremains？\"
\"Familymotivesmayenterintoitamongothers——butwhydoyouask？\"
\"Because，havingheardthatyouemploythepolicetoassistyoursearch，Iwasanxioustoknowwhetheryouhadstimulatedtheirsuperiorstomakethemdotheirbestinyourservicebygivingsomestrongpersonalreasonsatheadquartersfortheveryunusualprojectwhichhasbroughtyouhere。\"
\"Igivenoreasons。IpayfortheworkIwantdone，and，inreturnformyliberality，Iamtreatedwiththemostinfamousindifferenceonallsides。Astrangerinthecountry，andbadlyacquaintedwiththelanguage，Icandonothingtohelpmyself。
Theauthorities，bothatRomeandinthisplace，pretendtoassistme，pretendtosearchandinquireasIwouldhavethemsearchandinquire，anddonothingmore。Iaminsulted，laughedat，almosttomyface。\"
\"Doyounotthinkitpossible——mind，Ihavenowishtoexcusethemisconductoftheauthorities，anddonotshareinanysuchopinionmyself——butdoyounotthinkitlikelythatthepolicemaydoubtwhetheryouareinearnest？\"
\"Notinearnest！\"hecried，startingupandconfrontingmefiercely，withwildeyesandquickenedbreath。\"Notinearnest！
_You_thinkI’mnotinearnesttoo。Iknowyouthinkit，thoughyoutellmeyoudon’t。Stop；beforewesayanotherword，yourowneyesshallconvinceyou。Comehere——onlyforaminute——onlyforoneminute！\"
Ifollowedhimintohisbedroom，whichopenedoutofthesitting—room。Atonesideofhisbedstoodalargepacking—caseofplainwood，upwardofsevenfeetinlength。
\"Openthelidandlookin，\"hesaid，\"whileIholdthecandlesothatyoucansee。\"
Iobeyedhisdirections，anddiscoveredtomyastonishmentthatthepacking—casecontainedaleadencoffin，magnificentlyemblazonedwiththearmsoftheMonktonfamily，andinscribedinold—fashionedletterswiththenameof\"StephenMonkton，\"hisageandthemannerofhisdeathbeingaddedunderneath。
\"Ikeephiscoffinreadyforhim，\"whisperedAlfred，closeatmyear。\"Doesthatlooklikeearnest？\"
Itlookedmorelikeinsanity——solikethatIshrankfromansweringhim。
\"Yes！yes！Iseeyouareconvinced，\"hecontinuedquickly；\"wemaygobackintothenextroom，andmaytalkwithoutrestraintoneithersidenow。\"
Onreturningtoourplaces，Imechanicallymovedmychairawayfromthetable。Mymindwasbythistimeinsuchastateofconfusionanduncertaintyaboutwhatitwouldbebestformetosayordonext，thatIforgotforthemomentthepositionhehadassignedtomewhenwelitthecandles。Heremindedmeofthisdirectly。
\"Don’tmoveaway，\"hesaid，veryearnestly；\"keeponsittinginthelight；praydo！I’llsoontellyouwhyIamsoparticularaboutthat。Butfirstgivemeyouradvice；helpmeinmygreatdistressandsuspense。Remember，youpromisedmeyouwould。\"
Imadeanefforttocollectmythoughts，andsucceeded。Itwasuselesstotreattheaffairotherwisethanseriouslyinhispresence；itwouldhavebeencruelnottohaveadvisedhimasI
bestcould。
\"Youknow，\"Isaid，\"thattwodaysafterthedrawingupoftheagreementatNaples，theduelwasfoughtoutoftheNeapolitanStates。ThisfacthasofcourseledyoutotheconclusionthatallinquiriesaboutlocalitieshadbetterbeconfinedtotheRomanterritory？\"
\"Certainly；thesearch，suchasitis，hasbeenmadethere，andthereonly。IfIcanbelievethepolice，theyandtheiragentshaveinquiredfortheplacewheretheduelwasfought（offeringalargerewardinmynametothepersonwhocandiscoverit）allalongthehighroadfromNaplestoRome。Theyhavealsocirculated——atleastsotheytellme——descriptionsoftheduelistsandtheirseconds；haveleftanagenttosuperintendinvestigationsatthepost—house，andanotheratthetownmentionedasmeeting—pointsintheagreement；andhaveendeavored，bycorrespondencewithforeignauthorities，totracetheCountSt。LoandMonsieurDalvilletotheirplaceorplacesofrefuge。Alltheseefforts，supposingthemtohavebeenreallymade，havehithertoprovedutterlyfruitless。\"
\"Myimpressionis，\"saidI，afteramoment’sconsideration，\"thatallinquiriesmadealongthehighroad，oranywherenearRome，arelikelytobemadeinvain。Astothediscoveryofyouruncle’sremains，thatis，Ithink，identicalwiththediscoveryoftheplacewherehewasshot；forthoseengagedintheduelwouldcertainlynotriskdetectionbycarryingacorpseanydistancewiththemintheirflight。Theplace，then，isallthatwewanttofindout。Nowletusconsiderforamoment。Thedueling—partychangedcarriages；traveledseparately，twoandtwo；doubtlesstookroundaboutroads；stoppedatthepost—houseandthetownasablind；walked，perhaps，aconsiderabledistanceunguided。Dependuponit，suchprecautionsasthese（whichweknowtheymusthaveemployed）leftthemverylittletimeoutofthetwodays——thoughtheymightstartatsunriseandnotstopatnight—fall——forstraightforwardtraveling。Mybeliefthereforeis，thattheduelwasfoughtsomewhereneartheNeapolitanfrontier；and，ifIhadbeenthepoliceagentwhoconductedthesearch，Ishouldonlyhavepursueditparallelwiththefrontier，startingfromwesttoeasttillI
gotupamongthelonelyplacesinthemountains。Thatismyidea；
doyouthinkitworthanything？\"