Yellowjack，CommanderJaunders，hasbroughtlettersandpapersfromCoventryIsland。H。E。SirThomasLiverseegehadfallenavictimtotheprevailingfeveratSwampton。Hislossisdeeplyfeltintheflourishingcolony。WehearthattheGovernorshiphasbeenofferedtoColonelRawdonCrawley，C。B。，adistinguishedWaterlooofficer。Weneednotonlymenofacknowledgedbravery，butmenofadministrativetalentstosuperintendtheaffairsofourcolonies，andwehavenodoubtthatthegentlemanselectedbytheColonialOfficetofillthelamentedvacancywhichhasoccurredatCoventryIslandisadmirablycalculatedforthepostwhichheisabouttooccupy。”
　　“CoventryIsland！Wherewasit？Whohadappointedhimtothegovernment？Youmusttakemeoutasyoursecretary，oldboy。”CaptainMacmurdosaidlaughing；
　　andasCrawleyandhisfriendsatwonderingandperplexedovertheannouncement，theClubwaiterbroughtintotheColonelacardonwhichthenameofMr。
　　Wenhamwasengraved，whobeggedtoseeColonelCrawley。
　　TheColonelandhisaide-de-campwentouttomeetthegentleman，rightlyconjecturingthathewasanemissaryofLordSteyne。”Howd’yedo，Crawley？Iamgladtoseeyou。”saidMr。Wenhamwithablandsmile，andgraspingCrawley’shandwithgreatcordiality。
　　“Youcome，Isuppose，from——“
　　“Exactly。”saidMr。Wenham。
　　“ThenthisismyfriendCaptainMacmurdo，oftheLifeGuardsGreen。”
　　“DelightedtoknowCaptainMacmurdo，I’msure。”Mr。
　　Wenhamsaidandtenderedanothersmileandshakeofthehandtothesecond，ashehaddonetotheprincipal。
　　Macputoutonefinger，armedwithabuckskinglove，andmadeaveryfrigidbowtoMr。Wenhamoverhistightcravat。Hewas，perhaps，discontentedatbeingputincommunicationwithapekin，andthoughtthatLordSteyneshouldhavesenthimaColonelattheveryleast。
　　“AsMacmurdoactsforme，andknowswhatImean。”
　　Crawleysaid，“Ihadbetterretireandleaveyoutogether。”
　　“Ofcourse。”saidMacmurdo。
　　“Bynomeans，mydearColonel。”Mr。Wenhamsaid；
　　“theinterviewwhichIhadthehonourofrequestingwaswithyoupersonally，thoughthecompanyofCaptainMacmurdocannotfailtobealsomostpleasing。Infact，Captain，Ihopethatourconversationwillleadtononebutthemostagreeableresults，verydifferentfromthosewhichmyfriendColonelCrawleyappearstoanticipate。”
　　“Humph！”saidCaptainMacmurdo。Behangedtothesecivilians，hethoughttohimself，theyarealwaysforarrangingandspeechifying。Mr。Wenhamtookachairwhichwasnotofferedtohim——tookapaperfromhispocket，andresumed——
　　“Youhaveseenthisgratifyingannouncementinthepapersthismorning，Colonel？Governmenthassecuredamostvaluableservant，andyou，ifyouacceptoffice，asIpresumeyouwill，anexcellentappointment。Threethousandayear，delightfulclimate，excellentgovernment-
　　house，allyourownwayintheColony，andacertainpromotion。Icongratulateyouwithallmyheart。I
　　presumeyouknow，gentlemen，towhommyfriendisindebtedforthispieceofpatronage？”
　　“HangedifIknow。”theCaptainsaid；hisprincipalturnedveryred。
　　“Tooneofthemostgenerousandkindestmenintheworld，asheisoneofthegreatest——tomyexcellentfriend，theMarquisofSteyne。”
　　“I’llseehimd——beforeItakehisplace。”growledoutRawdon。
　　“Youareirritatedagainstmynoblefriend。”Mr。
　　Wenhamcalmlyresumed；“andnow，inthenameofcommonsenseandjustice，tellmewhy？”
　　“WHY？”criedRawdoninsurprise。
　　“Why？Dammy！”saidtheCaptain，ringinghisstickontheground。
　　“Dammy，indeed。”saidMr。Wenhamwiththemostagreeablesmile；“still，lookatthematterasamanoftheworld——asanhonestman——andseeifyouhavenotbeeninthewrong。Youcomehomefromajourney，andfind——what？——myLordSteynesuppingatyourhouseinCurzonStreetwithMrs。Crawley。Isthecircumstancestrangeornovel？Hashenotbeenahundredtimesbeforeinthesameposition？Uponmyhonourandwordasagentleman“——Mr。Wenhamhereputhishandonhiswaistcoatwithaparliamentaryair——“IdeclareIthinkthatyoursuspicionsaremonstrousandutterlyunfounded，andthattheyinjureanhonourablegentlemanwhohasprovedhisgood-willtowardsyoubyathousandbenefactions——andamostspotlessandinnocentlady。”
　　“Youdon’tmeantosaythat——thatCrawley’smistaken？”saidMr。Macmurdo。
　　“IbelievethatMrs。Crawleyisasinnocentasmywife，Mrs。Wenham。”Mr。Wenhamsaidwithgreatenergy。”Ibelievethat，misledbyaninfernaljealousy，myfriendherestrikesablowagainstnotonlyaninfirmandoldmanofhighstation，hisconstantfriendandbenefactor，butagainsthiswife，hisowndearesthonour，hisson’sfuturereputation，andhisownprospectsinlife。”
　　“Iwilltellyouwhathappened。”Mr。Wenhamcontinuedwithgreatsolemnity；“IwassentforthismorningbymyLordSteyne，andfoundhiminapitiablestate，as，IneedhardlyinformColonelCrawley，anymanofageandinfirmitywouldbeafterapersonalconflictwithamanofyourstrength。Isaytoyourface；itwasacrueladvantageyoutookofthatstrength，ColonelCrawley。Itwasnotonlythebodyofmynobleandexcellentfriendwhichwaswounded——hisheart，sir，wasbleeding。Amanwhomhehadloadedwithbenefitsandregardedwithaffectionhadsubjectedhimtothefoulestindignity。Whatwasthisveryappointment，whichappearsinthejournalsofto-day，butaproofofhiskindnesstoyou？WhenIsawhisLordshipthismorningIfoundhiminastatepitiableindeedtosee，andasanxiousasyouaretorevengetheoutragecommitteduponhim，byblood。Youknowhehasgivenhisproofs，Ipresume，ColonelCrawley？”
　　“Hehasplentyofpluck。”saidtheColonel。”Nobodyeversaidhehadn’t。”
　　“Hisfirstordertomewastowritealetterofchallenge，andtocarryittoColonelCrawley。Oneorotherofus。”hesaid，“mustnotsurvivetheoutrageoflastnight。”
　　Crawleynodded。”You’recomingtothepoint，Wenham。”hesaid。
　　“ItriedmyutmosttocalmLordSteyne。GoodGod！
　　sir。”Isaid，“howIregretthatMrs。WenhamandmyselfhadnotacceptedMrs。Crawley’sinvitationtosupwithher！”
　　“Sheaskedyoutosupwithher？”CaptainMacmurdosaid。
　　“Aftertheopera。Here’sthenoteofinvitation——stop——no，thisisanotherpaper——IthoughtIhadh，butit’sofnoconsequence，andIpledgeyoumywordtothefact。Ifwehadcome——anditwasonlyoneofMrs。
　　Wenham’sheadacheswhichpreventedus——shesuffersunderthemagooddeal，especiallyinthespring——ifwehadcome，andyouhadreturnedhome，therewouldhavebeennoquarrel，noinsult，nosuspicion——andsoitispositivelybecausemypoorwifehasaheadachethatyouaretobringdeathdownupontwomenofhonourandplungetwoofthemostexcellentandancientfamiliesinthekingdomintodisgraceandsorrow。”
　　Mr。Macmurdolookedathisprincipalwiththeairofamanprofoundlypuzzled，andRawdonfeltwithakindofragethathispreywasescapinghim。Hedidnotbelieveawordofthestory，andyet，howdiscreditordisproveit？
　　Mr。Wenhamcontinuedwiththesamefluentoratory，whichinhisplaceinParliamenthehadsooftenpractised——“IsatforanhourormorebyLordSteyne’sbedside，beseeching，imploringLordSteynetoforegohisintentionofdemandingameeting。Ipointedouttohimthatthecircumstanceswereafterallsuspicious——theyweresuspicious。Iacknowledgeit——anymaninyourpositionmighthavebeentakenin——Isaidthatamanfuriouswithjealousyistoallintentsandpurposesamadman，andshouldbeassuchregarded——thataduelbetweenyoumustleadtothedisgraceofallpartiesconcerned——thatamanofhisLordship’sexaltedstationhadnorightinthesedays，whenthemostatrociousrevolutionaryprinciples，andthemostdangerouslevellingdoctrinesarepreachedamongthevulgar，tocreateapublicscandal；andthat，howeverinnocent，thecommonpeoplewouldinsistthathewasguilty。Infine，I
　　imploredhimnottosendthechallenge。”
　　“Idon’tbelieveonewordofthewholestory。”saidRawdon，grindinghisteeth。”Ibelieveitad——lie，andthatyou’reinit，Mr。Wenham。Ifthechallengedon’tcomefromhim，byJoveitshallcomefromme。”
　　Mr。WenhamturneddeadlypaleatthissavageinterruptionoftheColonelandlookedtowardsthedoor。
　　ButhefoundachampioninCaptainMacmurdo。ThatgentlemanroseupwithanoathandrebukedRawdonforhislanguage。”Youputtheaffairintomyhands，andyoushallactasIthinkfit，byJove，andnotasyoudo。
　　YouhavenorighttoinsultMr。Wenhamwiththissortoflanguage；anddammy，Mr。Wenham，youdeserveanapology。AndasforachallengetoLordSteyne，youmaygetsomebodyelsetocarryit，Iwon’t。Ifmylord，afterbeingthrashed，choosestositstill，dammylethim。
　　Andasfortheaffairwith——withMrs。Crawley，mybeliefis，there’snothingprovedatall：thatyourwife’sinnocent，asinnocentasMr。Wenhamsayssheis；andatanyratethatyouwouldbead——foolnottotaketheplaceandholdyourtongue。”
　　“CaptainMacmurdo，youspeaklikeamanofsense。”
　　Mr。Wenhamcriedout，immenselyrelieved——“IforgetanywordsthatColonelCrawleyhasusedintheirritationofthemoment。”
　　“Ithoughtyouwould。”Rawdonsaidwithasneer。
　　“Shutyourmouth，youoldstoopid。”theCaptainsaidgood-naturedly。”Mr。Wenhamain’tafightingman；andquiteright，too。”
　　“Thismatter，inmybelief。”theSteyneemissarycried。”oughttobeburiedinthemostprofoundoblivion。A
　　wordconcerningitshouldneverpassthesedoors。I
　　speakintheinterestofmyfriend，aswellasofColonelCrawley，whopersistsinconsideringmehisenemy。”
　　“IsupposeLordSteynewon’ttalkaboutitverymuch。”saidCaptainMacmurdo；“andIdon’tseewhyoursideshould。Theaffairain’taveryprettyone，anywayyoutakeit，andthelesssaidaboutitthebetter。
　　It’syouarethrashed，andnotus；andifyouaresatisfied，why，Ithink，weshouldbe。”
　　Mr。Wenhamtookhishat，uponthis，andCaptainMacmurdofollowinghimtothedoor，shutituponhimselfandLordSteyne’sagent，leavingRawdonchafingwithin。Whenthetwowereontheotherside，Macmurdolookedhardattheotherambassadorandwithanexpressionofanythingbutrespectonhisroundjollyface。
　　“Youdon’tstickatatrifle，Mr。Wenham。”hesaid。
　　“Youflatterme，CaptainMacmurdo。”answeredtheotherwithasmile。”Uponmyhonourandconsciencenow，Mrs。Crawleydidaskustosupaftertheopera。”
　　“Ofcourse；andMrs。Wenhamhadoneofherhead-
　　aches。Isay，I’vegotathousand-poundnotehere，whichIwillgiveyouifyouwillgivemeareceipt，please；andIwillputthenoteupinanenvelopeforLordSteyne。
　　Mymanshan’tfighthim。Butwehadrathernottakehismoney。”
　　“Itwasallamistake——allamistake，mydearsir。”theothersaidwiththeutmostinnocenceofmanner；andwasboweddowntheClubstepsbyCaptainMacmurdo，justasSirPittCrawleyascendedthem。Therewasaslightacquaintancebetweenthesetwogentlemen，andtheCaptain，goingbackwiththeBaronettotheroomwherethelatter’sbrotherwas，toldSirPitt，inconfidence，thathehadmadetheaffairallrightbetweenLordSteyneandtheColonel。
　　SirPittwaswellpleased，ofcourse，atthisintelligence，andcongratulatedhisbrotherwarmlyuponthepeacefulissueoftheaffair，makingappropriatemoralremarksupontheevilsofduellingandtheunsatisfactorynatureofthatsortofsettlementofdisputes。
　　Andafterthispreface，hetriedwithallhiseloquencetoeffectareconciliationbetweenRawdonandhiswife。
　　HerecapitulatedthestatementswhichBeckyhadmade，pointedouttheprobabilitiesoftheirtruth，andassertedhisownfirmbeliefinherinnocence。
　　ButRawdonwouldnothearofit。”Shehaskepmoneyconcealedfrommethesetenyears。”hesaid“Sheswore，lastnightonly，shehadnonefromSteyne。Sheknewitwasallup，directlyIfoundit。Ifshe’snotguilty，Pitt，she’sasbadasguilty，andI’llneverseeheragain——
　　never。”Hisheadsankdownonhischestashespokethewords，andhelookedquitebrokenandsad。