按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Captain called perpetually for more drink； and higher stakes； and lost
almost every throw。 Three hundred； four hundred； six hundredall his
winnings of the previous months were swallowed up in the course of a few
hours。 The Corporal looked on； and； to do him justice； seemed very grave
as； sum by sum； the Squire scored down the Count's losses on the paper
before him。
Most of the company had taken their hats and staggered off。 The
Squire and Mr。 Trippet were the only two that remained； the latter still
lingering by Mrs。 Catherine's sofa and table； and as she； as we have stated；
had been employed all the evening in mixing the liquor for the gamesters；
he was at the headquarters of love and drink； and had swallowed so much
of each as hardly to be able to speak。
The dice went rattling on； the candles were burning dim； with great
long wicks。 Mr。 Trippet could hardly see the Captain； and thought； as far
as his muzzy reason would let him； that the Captain could not see him： so
he rose from his chair as well as he could； and fell down on Mrs。
Catherine's sofa。 His eyes were fixed； his face was pale； his jaw hung
down； and he flung out his arms and said； in a maudlin voice； 〃Oh； you
byoo…oo…oo…tifile Cathrine； I must have a kick…kick…iss。〃
〃Beast！〃 said Mrs。 Catherine； and pushed him away。 The drunken
wretch fell off the sofa； and on to the floor； where he stayed； and； after
snorting out some unintelligible sounds； went to sleep。
The dice went rattling on； the candles were burning dim； with great
long wicks。
〃Seven's the main；〃 cried the Count。 〃Four。 Three to two against the
caster。〃
〃Ponies；〃 said the Warwickshire Squire。
Rattle； rattle； rattle； rattle； clatter； NINE。 Clap； clap； clap； clap；
ELEVEN。 Clutter； clutter； clutter； clutter： 〃Seven it is；〃 says the
Warwickshire Squire。 〃That makes eight hundred； Count。〃
47
… Page 48…
Catherine： A Story
〃One throw for two hundred；〃 said the Count。 〃But stop！ Cat； give us
some more punch。〃
Mrs。 Cat came forward； she looked a little pale； and her hand trembled
somewhat。 〃Here is the punch； Max；〃 said she。 It was steaming hot； in a
large glass。 〃Don't drink it all；〃 said she； 〃leave me some。〃
〃How dark it is！〃 said the Count； eyeing it。
〃It's the brandy；〃 said Cat。
〃Well； here goes！ Squire； curse you！ here's your health； and bad luck to
you！〃 and he gulped off more than half the liquor at a draught。 But
presently he put down the glass and cried； 〃What infernal poison is this；
Cat？〃
〃Poison！〃 said she。 〃It's no poison。 Give me the glass。〃 And she
pledged Max； and drank a little of it。 〃'Tis good punch； Max； and of my
brewing； I don't think you will ever get any better。〃 And she went back to
the sofa again； and sat down； and looked at the players。
Mr。 Brock looked at her white face and fixed eyes with a grim kind of
curiosity。 The Count sputtered； and cursed the horrid taste of the punch
still； but he presently took the box； and made his threatened throw。
As before； the Squire beat him； and having booked his winnings； rose
from table as well as he might and besought to lead him downstairs； which
Mr。 Brock did。
Liquor had evidently stupefied the Count： he sat with his head between
his hands； muttering wildly about ill…luck； seven's the main； bad punch；
and so on。 The street…door banged to； and the steps of Brock and the
Squire were heard； until they could be heard no more。
〃Max；〃 said she； but he did not answer。 〃Max；〃 said she again； laying
her hand on his shoulder。
〃Curse you；〃 said that gentleman； 〃keep off； and don't be laying your
paws upon me。 Go to bed； you jade； or to；for what I care； and give me
first some more puncha gallon more punch； do you hear？〃
The gentleman； by the curses at the commencement of this little
speech； and the request contained at the end of it； showed that his losses
vexed him； and that he was anxious to forget them temporarily。
〃Oh； Max！〃 whimpered Mrs。 Cat； 〃youdon'twant any more punch？〃
48
… Page 49…
Catherine： A Story
〃Don't！ Shan't I be drunk in my own house； you cursed whimpering
jade； you？ Get out！〃 and with this the Captain proceeded to administer a
blow upon Mrs。 Catherine's cheek。
Contrary to her custom； she did not avenge it； or seek to do so； as on
the many former occasions when disputes of this nature had arisen
between the Count and her； but now Mrs。 Catherine fell on her knees and；
clasping her hands and looking pitifully in the Count's face； cried； 〃Oh；
Count； forgive me； forgive me！〃
〃Forgive you！ What for？ Because I slapped your face？ Ha； ha！ I'll
forgive you again； if you don't mind。〃
〃Oh； no； no； no！〃 said she； wringing her hands。 〃It isn't that。 Max； dear
Max； will you forgive me？ It isn't the blowI don't mind that； it's〃
〃It's what； youmaudlin fool？〃
〃IT'S THE PUNCH！〃
The Count； who was more than half seas over； here assumed an air of
much tipsy gravity。 〃The punch！ No； I never will forgive you that last
glass of punch。 Of all the foul； beastly drinks I ever tasted； that was the
worst。 No； I never will forgive you that punch。〃
〃Oh； it isn't that； it isn't that！〃 said she。
〃I tell you it is that；you！ That punch； I say that punch was no better
than pawaw…oison。〃 And here the Count's head sank back； and he fell to
snore。
〃IT WAS POISON！〃 said she。
〃WHAT！〃 screamed he； waking up at once； and spurning her away
from him。 〃What； you infernal murderess； have you killed me？〃
〃Oh； Max！don't kill me； Max！ It was laudanumindeed it was。 You
were going to be married； and I was furious； and I went and got〃
〃Hold your tongue； you fiend；〃 roared out the Count； and with more
presence of mind than politeness； he flung the remainder of the liquor （and；
indeed； the glass with it） at the head of Mrs。 Catherine。 But the poisoned
chalice missed its mark； and fell right on the nose of Mr。 Tom Trippet； who
was left asleep and unobserved under the table。
Bleeding； staggering； swearing； indeed a ghastly sight； up sprang Mr。
Trippet； and drew his rapier。 〃Come on；〃 says he； 〃never say die！ What's
49
… Page 50…
Catherine： A Story
the row？ I'm ready for a dozen of you。〃 And he made many blind and
furious passes about the room。
〃Curse you； we'll die together！〃 shouted the Count； as he too pulled
out his toledo； and sprang at Mrs。 Catherine。
〃Help！ murder！ thieves！〃 shrieked she。 〃Save me； Mr。 Trippet； save
me！〃 and she placed that gentleman between herself and the Count； and
then made for the door of the bedroom； and gained it； and bolted it。
〃Out of the way； Trippet；〃 roared the Count〃out of the way； you
drunken beast！ I'll murder her； I willI'll have the devil's life。〃 And here he
gave a swinging cut at Mr。 Trippet's sword： it sent the weapon whirling
clean out of his hand； and through a window into the street。
〃Take my life； then；〃 said Mr。 Trippet： 〃I'm drunk； but I'm a man； and；
damme！ will never say die。〃
〃I don't want your life； you stupid fool。 Hark you； Trippet； wake and
be sober； if you can。 That woman has heard of my marriage with Miss
Dripping。〃
〃Twenty thousand pound；〃 ejaculated Trippet。 〃She has been jealous； I
tell you； and POISONED us。 She has put laudanum into the punch。〃
〃What； in MY punch？〃 said Trippet； growing quite sober and losing
his courage。 〃O Lord！ O Lord！〃
〃Don't stand howling there； but run for a doctor； 'tis our only chance。〃
And away ran Mr。 Trippet； as if the deuce were at his heels。
The Count had forgotten his murderous intentions regarding his
mistress； or had deferred them at least； under the consciousness of his own
pressing danger。 And it must be said； in the praise of a man who had
fought for and