say that I have much
hope as to the issue of this morning's rencounter. I shall avoid half
the danger. If I must fall, I am determined I shall not go down to
the grave with his blood upon my hands. I have resolved not to fire at
Fitzgerald--that is, to fire in such a direction as to assure myself
against hitting him. Do not say a word of this to the O'Gradys. Your
doing so would only produce fruitless altercation; they could not
understand my motives. I feel convinced that I shall not leave the
field alive. If I must die to-day, I shall avoid an awful aggravation
of wretchedness. Purcell,' he continued, after a little space, 'I was so
weak as to feel almost ashamed of the manner in which I was occupied as
you entered the room. Yes, _I--I_ who will be, before this evening,
a cold and lifeless clod, was ashamed to have spent my last moment of
reflection in prayer. God pardon me! God pardon me!' he repeated.

I took his hand and pressed it, but I could not speak. I sought for
words of comfort, but they would not come. To have uttered one cheering
sentence I must have contradicted every impression of my own mind. I
felt too much awed to attempt it. Shortly afterwards, M'Donough arrived.
No wretched patient ever underwent a more thrilling revulsion at the
first sight of the case of surgical instruments under which he had to
suffer, than did I upon beholding a certain oblong flat mahogany box,
bound with brass, and of about two feet in length, laid upon the table
in the hall. O'Connor, thanking him for his punctuality, requested
him to come into his study for a moment, when, with a melancholy
collectedness, he proceeded to make arrangements for our witnessing
his will. The document was a brief one, and the whole matter was just
arranged, when the two O'Gradys crept softly into the room.

'So! last will and testament,' said the elder. 'Why, you have a very
BLUE notion of these matters. I tell you, you need not be uneasy.
I remember very well, when young Ryan of Ballykealey met M'Neil the
duellist, bets ran twenty to one against him. I stole away from school,
and had a peep at the fun as well as the best of them. They fired
together. Ryan received the ball through the collar of his coat, and
M'Neil in the temple; he spun like a top: it was a most unexpected
thing, and disappointed his friends damnably. It was admitted, however,
to have been very pretty shooting upon both sides. To be sure,' he
continued, pointing to the will,