hen my
determination to force him into a contest, and that no trembling of the
hand, no error of the swimming sight, might betray my purpose, to place
us foot to foot, and the mouth of each pistol almost to the very temple
of each antagonist. Nor was I deterred for a moment from this resolution
by the knowledge that my own death must be as certain as my victim's. On
the contrary, I looked forward to dying thus, and so baffling the more
lingering, but not less sure, disease which was daily wasting me away,
with the same fierce, yet not unquiet delight with which men have rushed
into battle, and sought out a death less bitter to them than life.

"For two days, though I each day saw Tyrrell, fate threw into my way
no opportunity of executing my design. The morning of the third
came,--Tyrrell was on the race-ground; sure that he would remain there
for some hours, I put up my wearied horse in the town, and, seating
myself in an obscure corner of the course, was contented with watching,
as the serpent does his victim, the distant motions of my enemy. Perhaps
you can recollect passing a man seated on the ground and robed in a
horseman's cloak. I need not tell you that it was I whom you passed and
accosted. I saw you ride by me; but the moment you were gone I forgot
the occurrence. I looked upon the rolling and distant crowd as a child
views the figures of the phantasmagoria, scarcely knowing if my
eyes deceived me, feeling impressed with some stupefying and ghastly
sensation of dread, and cherishing the conviction that my life was not
as the life of the creatures that passed before me.

"The day waned: I went back for my horse; I returned to the course, and,
keeping at a distance as little suspicious as possible, followed the
motions of Tyrrell. He went back to the town, rested there, repaired
to a gaming-table, stayed in it a short time, returned to his inn, and
ordered his horse.

"In all these motions I followed the object of my pursuit; and my
heart bounded with joy when I at last saw him set out alone and in the
advancing twilight. I followed him till he left the main road. Now, I
thought, was my time. I redoubled my pace, and had nearly reached him,
when some horsemen appearing, constrained me again to slacken my pace.
Various other similar interruptions occurred to delay my plot. At length
all was undisturbed. I spurred my horse, and was nearly on the heels
of my enemy, when I perceived him join another man: this was