rheum ponticum； alipta； moschata； castor； spikenard； galangals； opoponax；
anacardium； mastich； brimstone； peony； eringo； pulp of dates； red and
white hermodactyls； roses； thyme； acorns； pennyroyal； gentian； the bark
of the root of mandrake； germander； valerian； bishop's…weed； bayberries；
long and white pepper； xylobalsamum； carnabadium； macedonian； parsley
seeds； lovage； the seeds of rue； and sinon； of each a dram and a half； of
pure gold； pure silver； pearls not perforated； the blatta byzantina； the
bone of the stag's heart； of each the quantity of fourteen grains of
wheat； of sapphire； emerald and jasper stones； each one dram； of hazel…
nuts； two drams； of pellitory of Spain； shavings of ivory； calamus
odoratus； each the quantity of twenty…nine grains of wheat； of honey or
sugar a sufficient quantity。 Boil down and skim off。〃
〃There；〃 he said； 〃that will fix the patient； give his brother a
dipperful every three…quarters of an hour〃
〃while he survives；〃 muttered Luigi
〃and see that the room is kept wholesomely hot； and the doors and
windows closed tight。 Keep Count Angelo nicely covered up with six or
seven blankets； and when he is thirstywhich will be frequentlymoisten
a 'rag in the vapor of the tea kettle and let his brother suck it。 When
he is hungrywhich will also be frequently he must not be humored
oftener than every seven or eight hours； then toast part of a cracker
until it begins to brown； and give it to his brother。〃
〃That is all very well； as far as Angelo is concerned；〃 said Luigi； 〃but
what am I to eat？〃
〃I do not see that there is anything the matter with you；〃 the doctor
answered； 〃you may； of course； eat what you please。〃
〃And also drink what I please； I suppose？〃
〃Oh； certainlyat present。 When the violent and continuous perspiring
has reduced your strength； I shall have to reduce your diet； of course；
and also bleed you； but there is no occasion for that yet awhile。〃 He
turned to Aunt Patsy and said： 〃He must be put to bed； and sat up with；
and tended with the greatest care； and not allowed to stir for several
days and nights。〃
〃For one； I'm sacredly thankful for that；〃 said Luigi； 〃it postpones the
funeralI'm not to be drowned to…day； anyhow。〃
Angelo said quietly to the doctor：
〃I will cheerfully submit to all your requirements； sir； up to two
o'clock this afternoon； and will resume them after three； but cannot be
confined to the house during that intermediate hour。〃
〃Why； may I ask？〃
〃Because I have entered the Baptist communion； and by appointment am to
be baptised in the river at that hour。〃
〃Oh； insanity！it cannot be allowed！〃
Angelo answered with placid firmness：
〃Nothing shall prevent it； if I am alive。〃
〃Why； consider； my dear sir； in your condition it might prove fatal。〃
A tender and ecstatic smile beamed from Angelo's eyes； and he broke forth
in a tone of joyous fervency：
〃Ah； how blessed it would be to die for such a causeit would be
martyrdom！〃
〃But your brotherconsider your brother； you would be risking his life；
too。〃
〃He risked mine an hour ago；〃 responded Angelo； gloomily； 〃did he
consider me？〃 A thought swept through his mind that made him shudder。
〃If I had not run； I might have been killed in a duel on the Sabbath day；
and my soul would have been lostlost。〃
〃Oh； don't fret； it wasn't in any danger；〃 said Luigi； irritably； 〃they
wouldn't waste it for a little thing like that； there's a glass case all
ready for it in the heavenly museum； and a pin to stick it up with。〃
Aunt Patsy was shocked； and said：
〃Looy； Looy！don't talk so； dear！〃
Rowena's soft heart was pierced by Luigi's unfeeling words； and she
murmured to herself； 〃Oh； if I but had the dear privilege of protecting
and defending him with my weak voice！but alas！ this sweet boon is
denied me by the cruel conventions of social intercourse。〃
〃Get their bed ready；〃 said Aunt Patsy to Nancy； 〃and shut up the windows
and doors； and light their candles； and see that you drive all the
mosquitoes out of their bar； and make up a good fire in their stove； and
carry up some bags of hot ashes to lay to his feet〃
〃and a shovel of fire for his head； and a mustard plaster for his neck；
and some gum shoes for his ears；〃 Luigi interrupted； with temper； and
added； to himself； 〃Damnation； I'm going to be roasted alive； I just know
it！〃
〃Why； Looy！ Do be quiet； I never saw such a fractious thing。 A body
would think you didn't care for your brother。〃
〃I don'tto that extent； Aunt Patsy。 I was glad the drowning was
postponed a minute ago； but I'm not now。 No； that is all gone by； I want
to be drowned。〃
〃You'll bring a judgment on yourself just as sure as you live； if you go
on like that。 Why； I never heard the beat of it。 Now； therethere！
you've said enough。 Not another word out of youI won't have it！〃
〃But； Aunt Patsy〃
〃Luigi！ Didn't you hear what I told you？〃
〃But； Aunt Patsy； Iwhy； I'm not going to set my heart and lungs afloat
in that pail of sewage which this criminal here has been prescri〃
〃Yes； you are； too。 You are going to be good； and do everything I tell
you； like a dear；〃 and she tapped his cheek affectionately with her
finger。 〃Rowena； take the prescription and go in the kitchen and hunt up
the things and lay them out for me。 I'll sit up with my patient the rest
of the night； doctor； I can't trust Nancy； she couldn't make Luigi take
the medicine。 Of course； you'll drop in again during the day。 Have you
got any more directions？〃
〃No； I believe not； Aunt Patsy。 If I don't get in earlier； I'll be along
by early candle…light； anyway。 Meantime； don't allow him to get out of
his bed。〃
Angelo said； with calm determination：
〃I shall be baptized at two o'clock。 Nothing but death shall prevent
me。〃
The doctor said nothing aloud； but to himself he said：
〃Why； this chap's got a manly side； after all！ Physically he's a coward；
but morally he's a lion。 I'll go and tell the others about this； it will
raise him a good deal in their estimationand the public will follow
their lead； of course。〃
Privately； Aunt Patsy applauded too； and was proud of Angelo's courage in
the moral field as she was of Luigi's in the field of honor。
The boy Henry was troubled； but the boy Joe said； inaudibly； and
gratefully； 〃We're all honky； after all； and no postponement on account
of the weather。〃
CHAPTER VIII
BAPTISM OF THE BETTER HALF
By nine o'clock the town was humming with the news of the midnight duel；
and there were but two opinions about it： one； that Luigi's pluck in the
field was most praiseworthy and Angela's flight most scandalous； the
other； that Angelo's courage in flying the field for conscience' sake was
as fine and creditable as was Luigi's in holding the field in the face of
the bullets。 The one opinion was held by half of the town； the other one
was maintained by the other half。 The division was clean and exact； and
it made two parties； an Angela party and a Luigi party。 The twins had
suddenly become popular idols along with Pudd'nhead Wilson； and haloed
with a glory as intense as his。 The children talked the duel all the way
to Sunday…school； their elders talked it all the way to church； the choir
discussed it behind their red curtain； it usurped the place of pious
thought in the 〃nigger gallery。〃
By noon the doctor had added the news； and spread it； that Count Angelo；
in spite of his wound and all warnings and supplications； was resolute in
his determination to be baptized at the hour appointed。 This swept the
town like wildfire； and mightily reinforced the enthusiasm of the Angelo
faction； who said； 〃If any doubted that it was moral courage that took
him from the field； what have they to say now！〃
Still the excitement grew。 All the morning it was traveling countryward；
toward all points of the compass； so； whereas before only the farmers and
their wives were intending to come and witness the remarkable baptism；
a general holiday was now proclaimed and the children and negroes
admitted to the privileges of the occasion。 All the farms for ten miles
around were vacated； all the converging roads emptied long processions of
wagons； horses； and yeomanry into the town。 The pack and cram of people
vastly exceeded any that had ever been seen in that sleepy region before。
The only thing that had ever even approached it； was the time long gone
by； but never forgotten； nor even referred to without wonder and pride；
when two circuses and a Fourth of July fell together。 But the glory of
that occasion was extinguished now for good。 It was but a freshet to
this deluge。
The great invasion massed itself on the river…bank and waited hungrily
for the immense event。 Waited； and wondered if it would really happen；
or if the twin who was not a 〃professor〃 would stand out and prevent it。
But they were not to be disappointed。 Angela was as good as his word。
He came attended by an escort of honor composed of several hundred of the
best citizens； all of the Angelo party； and when the immersion was
finished they escorted him back home and would even have carried him on
their shoulders； but that people might think they were