The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain
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such a man . come-- off with_you ! go and arrange everything-- and give him my heartiest compliments .a rare fellow, indeed; an admirable fellow, as_you_have said ! "

"I'll have him in_the vacant stretch between Wilson's and_the haunted house within_the hour, and I'll bring my own pistols ."

judge Driscoll began to walk the floor in a state of pleased excitement; but presently he stopped, and began to_think-- began to_think of Tom . twice he moved toward the secretary, and twice he turned away again; but finally he_said:

" this_may_be my last night in_the_world-- I_must not take_the chance . he_is worthless and unworthy, but it_is largely my fault . he_was entrusted to_me by my brother on_his dying bed, and I_have indulged him to_his hurt, instead of training him up severely, and making a man of him, I_have violated my trust, and I_must not add the sin of desertion to_that . I_have forgiven him once already, and would subject him to a long and hard trial before forgiving him again, if I_could live; but I_must not run that risk . no, I_must restore the will . but if I survive the duel, i_will hide it away, and he_will_not know, and i_will_not tell him until he reforms, and I_see that his reformation is going to_be permanent ."

he redrew the will, and_his ostensible nephew was heir to a fortune again . as he_was finishing his task, Tom, wearied with another brooding tramp, entered the house and went tiptoeing past the sitting room door . he glanced in, and hurried on, for_the sight of_his uncle was nothing but terrors for him tonight . but his uncle was writing ! that was unusual at_this late hour . what could he be writing ? a chill of anxiety settled down upon Tom's heart . did that writing concern him ? he_was afraid so . he reflected that when ill luck begins, it does_not come in sprinkles, but in showers . he_said he_would get a glimpse of_that document or know the reason why . he heard someone coming, and stepped out of sight and hearing . it_was Pembroke Howard . what could_be hatching ?

Howard said, with great satisfaction:

" everything's right and ready . he's gone to_the battleground with_his second and_the surgeon-- also with_his brother .I've arranged it all with Wilson-- Wilson's his second . we_are to_have three shots apiece ."

" good ! how is_the moon ? "

" bright as day, nearly . perfect, for_the distance--fifteen yards . no wind-- not a breath; hot and still ."

" all good; all first- rate . here, Pembroke, read this, and witness it ."

Pembroke read and witnessed the will, then gave the old man's hand a hearty shake and said:

" now that's right, York-- but I_knew you_would do_it . you couldn't leave that poor chap to fight along without means or profession, with certain defeat before him, and I_knew you wouldn't, for_his father's sake if_not for_his own ."

" for_his dead father's sake, I couldn't, I_know; for poor Percy-- but you_know what Percy was to_me . but mind--Tom is_not to_know of_this unless I fall tonight ."

"I understand .I'll keep the secret ."

the judge put the will away, and_the two started for_the battleground . in another minute the will was in Tom's hands . his misery vanished, his feelings underwent a tremendous revulsion . he put the will carefully back in its place, and spread his mouth and swung his hat once, twice, three times around his head, in imitation of three rousing huzzahs, no sound issuing from_his lips . he fell to communing with himself excitedly and joyously, but every now_and_then he let off another volley of dumb hurrahs .

he_said to himself: "I've got the fortune again, but I'll not let on_that I_know about_it . and this_time I'm gong to hang on to_it .I take no more risks .I'll gamble no more, I'll drink no more, because-- well, because I'll not go where there_is any of_that sort of thing going on, again . it's the sure way, and_the only sure way; I_might_have thought of_that sooner-- well, yes, if I had wanted to . but now-- dear me, I've had a scare this_time, and I'll take no more chances . not a single chance more . land ! I persuaded myself this evening that I_could fetch him around without any great amount of effort, but I've been getting more and more heavyhearted and doubtful straight along, ever_since . if he tells me about_this thing, all right; but if he doesn't, I sha'n't let on .I-- well, I'd like to_tell Pudd'nhead Wilson, but-- no, I'll think about_that; perhaps I won't ." he whirled off another dead huzzah, and said, "I'm reformed, and this_time I'll stay so, sure ! "

he_was about to close with a final grand silent demonstration, when he suddenly recollected that Wilson had put it out of_his power to pawn or sell the Indian knife, and_that he_was once more in awful peril of exposure by his creditors for_that reason . his joy collapsed utterly, and he turned away and moped toward the door moaning and lamenting over the bitterness of_his luck . he dragged himself upstairs, and brooded in_his room a long_time, disconsolate and forlorn, with Luigi's Indian knife for a text . at last he sighed and said:

" when I supposed these stones were glass and this ivory bone, the thing hadn't any interest for_me because it hadn't any value, and couldn't help me out of_my trouble . but now-- why, now it_is full of interest; yes, and of a sort to break a body's heart . it's a bag of gold that has turned to dirt and ashes in my hands . it could save me, and save me so easily, and yet I've got to_go to ruin . it's like drowning with a life preserver in my reach . all the hard luck comes to_me, and all the good luck goes to other people-- Pudd'nhead Wilson, for instance; even his career has got a sort of a little start at last, and what has he done to deserve it, i_should like to_know ? yes, he has opened his own road, but he isn't content with_that, but must block mine . it's a sordid, selfish world, and i_wish i_was out of it ." he allowed the light of_the candle to play upon_the jewels of_the sheath, but the flashings and sparklings had no charm for_his eye; they were only just so_many pangs to_his heart ." I_must not say anything to Roxy about_this thing," he_said ." she_is too daring . she_would be for digging these stones out and selling them, and then-- why, she_would be arrested and_the stones traced, and then--" the thought made him quake, and he hid the knife away, trembling all over and glancing furtively about, like a criminal who fancies that_the accuser is already at hand .

should he try to sleep ? Oh, no, sleep was not for him; his trouble was too haunting, too afflicting for_that . he_must_have somebody to mourn with . he_would carry his despair to Roxy .

he had heard several distant gunshots, but that sort of thing was not uncommon, and_they had made no impression upon him . he went out at_the back door, and turned westward . he passed Wilson's house and proceeded along the lane, and presently saw several figures approaching Wilson's place through_the vacant lots . these were the duelists returning from_the fight; he thought he recognized them, but as he had no desire for white people's company, he stooped down behind the fence until they were out of_his way .

Roxy was feeling fine . she said:

"Whah was you, child ? warn't you in_it ? "

" in what ? "

" in de duel ."

" duel ? has there been a duel ? "

"Co'se dey has .De ole Jedge has be'n havin' a duel wid one o' dem twins ."

" great Scott ! " then he added to himself: " that's what made him remake the will; he thought he might get killed, and it softened him toward me . and_that's what he and Howard were so busy about .. .. Oh dear, if_the twin had only killed him, i_should_be out of_my--"

" what_is you mumblin' ' bout, Chambers ? Whah was you ? Didn't you_know dey was gwine to_be a duel ? "

" no, I didn't . the old man tried to_get me to fight one with count Luigi, but he didn't succeed, so I reckon he concluded to patch up the family honor himself ."

he laughed at_the idea, and went rambling on with a detailed account of_his talk with_the judge, and how shocked and ashamed the judge was to_find that he had a coward in_his family . he glanced up at last, and got a shock himself .Roxana's bosom was heaving with suppressed passion, and she was glowering down upon him with measureless contempt written in her face .

"En you refuse' to fight a man dat kicked you, 'stid o' jumpin' at de chance ! En you ain't got no mo' feelin' den to_come en tell me, dat fetched sich apo' lowdown ornery rabbit into de worl' ! Pah ! it make me sick ! it's de nigger in you, dat's what it_is .Thirty- one parts o' you is white, en on'y one part nigger, en dat po' little one part is yo' soul .'Tain't wuth savin'; tain't wuth totin' out on a shovel en throwin' en de gutter . you has disgraced yo' birth . what would yo' pa think o' you ? it's enough to_make him turn in_his grave .

the last three sentences stung Tom into a fury, and he_said to himself that if his father were only alive and in reach of assassination his mother would soon find that he had a very clear notion of_the size of_his indebtedness to_that man, and was willing to_pay it up in full, and would do_it too, even at risk of_his life; but he kept this thought to himself; that was safest in_his mother's present state .

" whatever has_come o' yo' Essex blood ? Dat's what I_can't understan' .En it ain't on'y jist Essex blood dat's in you, not by a long sight-- ' deed it ain't ! my great- great- great-gran' father en yo' great- great- great- great-gran' father was Ole Cap'n John smith, de highest blood dat Ole Virginny ever turned out, en his_ great- great-gran' mother, or somers along back dah, was Pocahontas de Injun queen, en her husbun' was anigger king outen Africa-- en yit here you is, aslinkin' outen a duel en disgracin' our whole line like aornery lowdown hound ! yes, it's de nigger in you ! "

she sat down on her candle box and fell into a reverie .Tom did_not disturb her; he sometimes lacked prudence, but it_was not in circumstances of_this kind, Roxana's storm went gradually down, but it died hard, and even when it seemed to_be quite gone, it would now_and_then break out in a distant rumble, so to_speak, in_the form of muttered ejaculations . one_of_these was, "Ain't nigger enough in him to show in_his fingernails, en dat takes mighty little-- yit dey's enough to pain his soul ."

presently she muttered ."Yassir, enough to paint a whole thimbleful of 'em ." at last her ramblings ceased altogether, and her countenance began to clear--a welcome sight to Tom, who had learned her moods, and knew she was on_the threshold of good humor now . he noticed that from_time to_time she unconsciously carried her finger to_the end of her nose . he looked closer and said:

" why, Mammy, the end of your nose is skinned . how did that come ? "

she sent out the sort of wholehearted peal of laughter which god had vouchsafed in its perfection to none but the happy angels in heaven and_the bruised and broken black slave on_the earth, and said:

"Dad fetch dat duel, I be'n in_it myself ."

" gracious ! did a bullet to_that ? "

"Yassir, you bet it did ! "

" well, I declare ! why, how did that happen ? "

" happened dis- away .I 'uz a-sett'n' here kinder dozin' in de dark, en che- bang ! goes a gun, right out dah .I skips along out towards t' other end o' de house to_see what's gwine on, en stops by de ole winder on de side towards Pudd'nhead Wilson's house dat ain't got no sash in_it-- but dey ain't none of 'em got any sashes, for as dat's concerned-- en I stood dah in de dark en look out, en DAR in_the moonlight, right down under me 'uz one o' de twins a-cussin'-- not much, but jist a-cussin' soft-- it 'uz de brown one dat 'uz cussin,' 'ca'se he 'uz hit in de shoulder .En doctor Claypool he 'uz a-workin' at him, en Pudd'nhead Wilson he 'uz a- he' pin', en ole Jedge Driscoll en Pem Howard 'uz a-standin' out yonder a little piece waitin' for 'em to_get ready agin .En treckly dey squared off en give de word, en bang- bang went de pistols, en de twin he say, 'Ouch ! '-- hit him on de han' dis time --en I hear dat same bullet go spat ! ag' in de logs under de winder; en de nex' time dey shoot, de twin say, 'Ouch ! ' ag' in, en I done it too, 'ca'se de bullet glance' on_his cheekbone en skip up here en glance' on de side o' de winder en whiz right acrost my face en tuck de hide off'n my nose-- why, if I'd 'a'; be'n jist a inch or a inch en a half furder 't would 'a' tuck de whole nose en disfiggered me . here's de bullet; I hunted her up ."

" did you stand there all the time ? "

"Dat's a question to ask, ain't it ! what else would I_do ? Does I git a chance to_see a duel every day ? "

" why, you were right in range ! Weren't you afraid ? "

the woman gave a sniff of scorn .

"'Fraid ! De smith-Pocahontases ain't 'fraid o' nothin', let alone bullets ."

" they've got pluck enough, I suppose; what they lack is judgment ._I wouldn't have stood there ."

" nobody's accusin' you ! "

" did anybody else get hurt ? "

" yes, we all got hit 'cep' de blon' twin en de doctor en de seconds .De Jedge didn't git hurt, but I hear Pudd'nhead say de bullet snip some o' his ha'r off ."

"' George ! " said Tom to himself, " to_come so near being out of_my trouble, and miss it by an inch .Oh dear, dear, he_will live to_find me out and sell me to some nigger trader yet-- yes, and he_would do_it in a minute ." then he_said aloud, in a grave tone:

" mother, we_are in an awful fix ."

Roxana caught her breath with a spasm, and said:

"Chile ! what you hit a body

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