n perceived that
this man was to act as Halsdt's friend; and though really glad that such
an office fell not to his share, he was deeply offended on being thus,
as it were, passed over. In this state of dogged anger he sat down on
a tombstone, and, as if having no interest whatever in the whole
proceedings, never once looked towards them.

'Norvins did not notice that the party now took the path towards the
wood, nor was he conscious of the flight of time, when suddenly the loud
report of two pistols, so close together as to be almost blended, rang
through his ears. Then he sprang up, a dreadful pang piercing his
bosom, some terrible sense of guilt he could neither fathom nor explain
flashing across him. At the same instant the brushwood crashed behind
him, and Van Halsdt and his companion came out; the former with his
eyes glistening and his cheek flushed, the other pale and dreadfully
agitated. He nodded towards Edward significantly, and Van Halsdt said,
"Yes."

'Before Norvins could conjecture what this meant, the stranger
approached him, and said--

'"I am sorry, sir, the sad work of this morning cannot end here; but of
course you are prepared to afford my friend the only reparation in your
power."

'"Me! reparation! what do you mean? Afford whom?"

'"Monsieur van Halsdt," said he coolly, and with a slight emphasis of
contempt as he spoke.

'"Monsieur van Halsdt! he never offended _me_; I never insulted, never
injured _him_," said Edward, trembling at every word.

'"Never injured me!" cried Van Halsdt. "Is it nothing that you have
ruined me for ever; that your cowardice to resent an affront offered to
one who should have been dearer than your life, a hundred times told,
should have involved me in a duel with a man I swore never to meet,
never to cross swords nor exchange a shot with? Is it nothing that I am
to be disgraced by my king, disinherited by my father--a beggar and an
exile at once? Is it nothing, sir, that the oldest name of Friesland is
to be blotted from the nobles of his nation? Is it nothing that for you
I should be _what I now am?_"

'The last words were uttered in a voice that made Norvins, very blood
run cold; but he could not speak, he could not mutter a word in answer.

'"What!" said Van Halsdt, in an accent of cutting sarcasm, "I thought
that perhaps in the suddenness of the moment your courage, unprepared
for an unexpected call, might not have stood your part; but can it be
true that