the Indian canoe toward me and had plunged a dagger three times in my heart?  Had it not been realized?  Had not Guido stabbed me thrice?—­ in his theft of my wife’s affections—­in his contempt for my little dead child—­in his slanders on my name?  Then why such foolish notions of pity—­of forgiveness, that were beginning to steal into my mind?  It was too late now for forgiveness—­the very idea of it only rose out of a silly sentimentalism awakened by Ferrari’s allusion to our young days—­days for which, after all, he really cared nothing.  Meditating on all these things, I suppose I must have fallen by imperceptible degrees into a doze which gradually deepened till it became a profound and refreshing sleep.  From this I was awakened by a knocking at the door.  I arose and admitted Vincenzo, who entered bearing a tray of steaming coffee.

“Is it already so late?” I asked him.

“It wants a quarter to five,” replied Vincenzo—­then looking at me in some surprise, he added, “Will not the eccellenza change his evening-dress?”

I nodded in the affirmative—­and while I drank my coffee my valet set out a suit of rough tweed, such as I was accustomed to wear every day.  He then left me, and I quickly changed my attire, and while I did so I considered carefully the position of affairs.  Neither the Marquis D’Avencourt nor Captain Freccia had ever known me personally when I was Fabio Romani—­nor was it at all probable that the two tavern companions of Ferrari had ever seen me.  A surgeon would be on the field—­most probably a stranger.  Thinking over these points, I resolved on a bold stroke—­it was this—­that when I turned to face Ferrari in the combat, I would do so with uncovered eyes—­I would abjure my spectacles altogether for the occasion.  Vaguely I wondered what the effect would be upon him.  I was very much changed even without these disguising glasses—­my white beard and hair had seemingly altered my aspect—­yet I knew there was something familiar in the expression of my eyes that could not fail to startle one who had known me well.  My seconds would consider it very natural that I should remove the smoke-colored spectacles in order to see my aim unencumbered—­the only person likely to be disconcerted by my action was Ferrari himself.  The more I thought of it the more determined I was to do it.  I had scarcely finished dressing when Vincenzo entered with my overcoat, and informed me that the marquis waited for me, and that a close carriage was in attendance at the private door of the hotel.

“Permit me to accompany you, eccellenza!” pleaded the faithful fellow, with anxiety in the tone of his voice.

“Come then, amico!” I said, cheerily.  “If the marquis makes no objection I shall not.  But you must promise not to interrupt any of the proceedings by so much as an exclamation.”

He promised readily, and when I joined the marquis he followed, carrying my case of pistols.

“He can be trusted, I suppose?” asked D’Avencourt, glancing keenly at him while shaking hands cordially with me.