“There’s no doubt about his being dead, I suppose?� he asked after a brief inspection.
“Good gad, no,� replied the second man with a contemptuous laugh. “Where are your wits, man? He must have held the muzzle of the pistol close to his breast. See how his shirt is burned and powder blackened. He must have died instantly.�
“I suppose you are right.�
“Well,� continued the drawler nonchalantly—as for me I hated them both but the latter speaker the more if possible, for reasons which you will presently understand—“this relieves me greatly.�
“What do you mean?�
“You are very stupid this morning, mon ami,� returned the other, gracefully taking a pinch of snuff and laughing again with that horrible indifference to the dead man who had been his host and friend.
“After such a night as we had, to come thus suddenly upon—this—’tis enough to unsettle any man,� muttered Luftdon apologetically.
“Pooh, pooh! man, you’re nervous.�
“Well, I don’t know how it relieves you. And after all’s said and done, Wilberforce was a gentleman, a good player and a gallant loser, and I liked him.�
“Exactly, I liked him too, well enough. And he lost his all like a gentleman.�