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although you have lost your money； you have still a valuable
stake left。'
‘I do not understand you； Sir Paul；' returned Disbrowe； with a
look of indignant surprise。
‘To be plain； then；' replied Parravicin； ‘I have won from you two
hundred poundsall you possess。 You are a ruined man； and as
such； will run any hazard to retrieve your losses。 I give you a
last chance。 I will stake all my winningsnay； double the
amountagainst your wife。 You have a key of the house you
inhabit； by which you admit yourself at all hours； so at least I
am informed。 If I win； that key shall be mine。 I will take my
chance of the rest。 Do you understand me now？'
‘I do；' replied the young man； with concentrated fury。 ‘I
understand that you are a villain。 You have robbed me of my
money； and would rob me of my honour。'
‘These are harsh words； sir；' replied the knight calmly； ‘but
let them pass。 We will play first； and fight afterwards。 But
you refuse my challenge？'
‘It is false！' replied Disbrowe； fiercely； ‘I accept it。' And
producing a key； he threw it on the table。 ‘My life is； in
truth； set on the die；' he added； with a desperate look； ‘for if
I lose； I will not survive my shame。'
‘You will not forget our terms；' observed Parravicin。 ‘I am to
be your representative to…night。 You can return home to…morrow。'
‘Throw； sir；throw；' cried the young man； fiercely。
‘Pardon me；' replied the knight； ‘the first cast is with you。 A
single main decides it。'
‘Be it so；' returned Disbrowe； seizing the bow。 And as he shook
the dice with a frenzied air； the bystanders drew near the table
to watch the result。
‘Twelve！' cried Disbrowe； as he removed the box。 ‘My honour is
saved！ My fortune retrievedHuzza！'
‘Not so fast；' returned Parravicin； shaking the box in his turn。
‘You were a little hasty；' he added； uncovering the dice。 ‘I
am twelve too。 We must throw again。'
‘This is to decide；' cried the young officer； rattling the
dice；‘Six！'
Parravicin smiled； took the box； and threw _TEN_。
‘Perdition！' ejaculated Disbrowe； striking his brow with his
clenched hand。 ‘What devil tempted me to my undoing？ 。 。 。 My
wife trusted to this profligate！ 。 。 。 Horror！ It must not be！'
‘It is too late to retract；' replied Parravicin； taking up the
key； and turning with a triumphant look to his friends。
Disbrowe noticed the smile； and； stung beyond endurance； drew his
sword； and called to the knight to defend himself。 In an instant
passes were exchanged。 But the conflict was brief。 Fortune； as
before； declared herself in favour of Parravicin。 He disarmed
his assailant； who rushed out of the room； uttering the wildest
ejaculations of rage and despair。
* * * * * *
The winner of the key proceeded at once to use。 He gained
admittance to the captain's house； and found his way to the
chamber of his wife； who was then in bed。 At first mistaken for
her husband Parravicin heard words of tender reproach for his
lateness； and then； declaring himself； he belied her husband；
stating that he was false to her； and had surrendered her to him。
At this announcement Mrs Disbrowe uttered a loud scream； and fell
back in the bed。 Parravicin waited for a moment； but not hearing
her move； brought the lamp to see what was the matter。 She had
fainted； and was lying across the pillow； with her night…dress
partly open； so as to expose her neck and shoulders。 The knight
was at first ravished with her beauty； but his countenance
suddenly fell； and an expression of horror and alarm took
possession of it。 He appeared rooted to the spot； and instead of
attempting to render her any assistance； remained with his gaze
fixed upon her neck。 Rousing himself at length； he rushed out of
the room； hurried down…stairs； and without pausing for a moment；
threw open the street door。 As he issued from it his throat was
forcibly griped； and the point of a sword was placed at his
breast。
It was the desperate husband； who was waiting to avenge his
wife's honour。
‘You are in my power； villain；' cried Disbrowe； ‘and shall not
escape my vengeance。'
‘You are already avenged；' replied Parravicin； shaking off
his assailant‘_YOUR WIFE HAS THE PLAGUE_。'
The profligate had been scared away by the sight of the ‘plague
spot' on the neck of the unfortunate lady。
The husband entered and found his way to his wife's chamber。
Instantaneous explanations ensued。 ‘He told me you were false
that you loved anotherand had abandoned me；' exclaimed the
frantic wife。
‘He lied！' shouted Disbrowe； in a voice of uncontrollable fury。
‘It is true that； in a moment of frenzy； I was tempted to set
youyes； _YOU_； Margaretagainst all I had lost at play； and
was compelled to yield up the key of my house to the winner。 But
I have never been faithless to younever。'
‘Faithless or not；' replied his wife bitterly； ‘it is plain you
value me less than play； or you would not have acted thus。'
‘Reproach me not； Margaret；' replied Disbrowe。 ‘I would give
worlds to undo what I have done。'
‘Who shall guard me against the recurrence of such conduct？' said
Mrs Disbrowe； coldly。 ‘But you have not yet informed me how I
was saved！'
Disbrowe averted his head。
‘What mean you？' she cried； seizing his arm。 ‘What has happened？
Do not keep me in suspense？ Were you my preserver？'
‘Your preserver was the plague；' rejoined Disbrowe； mournfully。
The unfortunate lady then； for the first time； perceived that she
was attacked by the pestilence； and a long and dreadful pause
ensued； broken only by exclamations of anguish from both。
‘Disbrowe！' cried Margaret at length； raising herself in bed；
‘you have deeply； irrecoverably injured me。 But promise me one
thing。'
‘I swear to do whatever you may desire；' he replied。
‘I know not； after what I have heard； whether you have courage
for the deed；' she continued。 ‘But I would have you kill this
man。'
‘I will do it；' replied Disbrowe。
‘Nothing but his blood can wipe out the wrong he has done me；'
she rejoined。 ‘Challenge him to a duela mortal duel。 If he
survives； by my soul； I will give myself to him。'
‘Margaret！' exclaimed Disbrowe。
‘I swear it；' she rejoined；' and you know my passionate
nature too well to doubt I will keep my word。'
‘But you have the plague！'
‘What does that matter？ I may recover。'
‘Not so；' muttered Disbrowe。 ‘If I fall； I will take care you do
not recover。 。 。 。 I will fight him to…morrow；' he added aloud。
About noon on the following day Disbrowe proceeded to the Smyrna
Coffee…house； where； as he expected； he found Parravicin and his
companions。 The knight instantly advanced towards him； and
laying aside for the moment his reckless air； inquired； with a
look of commiseration； after his wife。
‘She is better；' replied Disbrowe