LETTER LXIV
TRANSLATION OF A LETTER FROM F.J. DE LA TOUR.
TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.NEAR SOHO-SQUARE, LONDON.TRENT, DEC. 18, N.S.
SIR,
I have melancholy news to inform you of, by order of the ChevalierLovelace. He showed me his letter to you before he sealed it;signifying, that he was to meet the Chevalier Morden on the 15th.Wherefore, as the occasion of the meeting is so well known to you, Ishall say nothing of it here.
I had taken care to have ready, within a little distance, a surgeon andhis assistant, to whom, under an oath of secrecy, I had revealed thematter, (though I did not own it to the two gentlemen;) so that they wereprepared with bandages, and all things proper. For well was I acquaintedwith the bravery and skill of my chevalier; and had heard the characterof the other; and knew the animosity of both. A post-chaise was ready,with each of their footmen, at a little distance.
The two chevaliers came exactly at their time: they were attended byMonsieur Margate, (the Colonel's gentleman,) and myself. They had givenorders over night, and now repeated them in each other's presence, thatwe should observe a strict impartiality between them: and that, if onefell, each of us should look upon himself, as to any needful help orretreat, as the servant of the survivor, and take his commandsaccordingly.
After a few compliments, both the gentlemen, with the greatest presenceof mind that I ever beheld in men, stript to their shirts, and drew.
They parried with equal judgment several passes. My chevalier drew thefirst blood, making a desperate push, which, by a sudden turn of hisantagonist, missed going clear through him, and wounded him on the fleshypart of the ribs of his right side; which part the sword tore out, beingon the extremity of the body; but, before my chevalier could recoverhimself, the Colonel, in return, pushed him into the inside of the leftarm, near the shoulder; and the sword (raking his breast as it passed,)being followed by a great effusion of blood, the Colonel said, Sir, Ibelieve you have enough.
My chevalier swore by G--d he was not hurt; 'twas a pin's point; and somade another pass at his antagonist; which he, with a surprisingdexterity, received under his arm, and run my dear chevalier into thebody; who immediately fell; saying, The luck is your's, Sir--O my belovedClarissa!--Now art thou--inwardly he spoke three or four words more. Hissword dropt from his hand. Mr. Morden threw his down, and ran to him,saying in French--Ah, Monsieur! you are a dead man!----Call to God formercy!
We gave the signal agreed upon to the footmen; and they to the surgeons;who instantly came up.
Colonel Morden, I found, was too well used to the bloody work; for he wasas cool as if nothing extraordinary had happened, assisting the surgeons,though his own wound bled much. But my dear chevalier fainted away twoor three times running, and vomited blood besides.
However, they stopped the bleeding for the present; and we helped himinto the voiture; and then the Colonel suffered his own wound to bedressed; and appeared concerned that my chevalier was between whiles(when he could speak, and struggle,) extremely outrageous.--Poorgentleman! he had made quite sure of victory!
The Colonel, against the surgeons' advice, would mount on horseback topass into the Venetian territories; and generously gave me a purse ofgold to pay the surgeons; desiring me to make a present to the footman;and to accept of the remainder, as a mark of his satisfaction in myconduct, and in my care and tenderness of my master.
The surgeons told him that my chevalier could not live over the day.
When the Colonel took leave of him, Mr. Lovelace said, You have wellrevenged the dear creature.
I have, Sir, said Mr. Morden; and perhaps shall be sorry that you calledupon me to this work, while I was balancing whether to obey, or disobey,the dear angel.
There is a fate in it! replied my chevalier--a cursed fate!--or thiscould not have been!--But be ye all witnesses, that I have provoked mydestiny, and acknowledge that I fall by a man of honour.
Sir, said the Colonel, with the piety of a confessor, (wringing Mr.Lovelace's hand,) snatch these few fleeting moments, and commend yourselfto God.
And so he rode off.
The voiture proceeded slowly with my chevalier; yet the motion set bothhis wounds bleeding afresh; and it was with difficulty they again stoppedthe blood.
We brought him alive to the nearest cottage; and he gave orders to me todispatch to you the packet I herewith send sealed up; and bid me write toyou the particulars of this most unhappy affair: and give you thanks, inhis name, for all your favours and friendship to him.
Contrary to all expectation, he lived over the night: but suffered much,as well from his impatience and disappointment, as from his wounds; forhe seemed very unwilling to die.
He was delirious, at times, in the two last hours: and then several timescried out, as if he had seen some frightful spectre, Take her away! Takeher away! but named nobody. And sometimes praised some lady, (thatClarissa, I suppose, whom he had invoked when he received his death'swound,) calling her Sweet Excellence! Divine Creature! Fair Sufferer!--And once he said, Look down, Blessed Spirit, look down!--And there stopt;--his lips, however, moving.
At nine in the morning he was seized with convulsions, and fainted away;and it was a quarter of an hour before he came out of them.
His few last words I must not omit, as they show an ultimate composure;which may administer some consolation to his honourable friends.
Blessed--said he, addressing himself no doubt to Heaven; for his dyingeyes were lifted up--a strong convulsion prevented him for a few momentssaying more--but recovering, he again, with great fervour, (lifting uphis eyes, and his spread hands,) pronounced the word blessed: Then, in aseeming ejaculation, he spoke inwardly, so as not to be understood: atlast, he distinctly pronounced these three words,
LET THIS EXPIATE!
And then, his head sinking on his pillow, he expired, at about half anhour after ten.
He little thought, poor gentleman! his end so near: so had given nodirection about his body. I have caused it to be embowelled, anddeposited in a vault, till I have orders from England.
This is a favour that was procured with difficulty; and would have beenrefused, had he not been an Englishman of rank: a nation with reasonrespected in every Austrian government--for he had refused ghostlyattendance, and the sacraments in the Catholic way.--May his soul behappy, I pray God!
I have had some trouble also, on account of the manner of his death, fromthe magistracy here: who have taken the requisite informations in theaffair. And it has cost some money. Of which, and of the dearchevalier's effects, I will give you a faithful account in my next. Andso, waiting at this place your commands, I am, Sir,
Your most faithful and obedient servant,F.J. DE LA TOUR.