That, however, has
nothing to do with the matter. These men have sworn to fight to
the death, and the girl, I understand, is willing to return to
Jim if he should be successful, or to remain with Guiseppe if he
should show himself able to retain her. The fight between these
men, my friends, has been transferred from Seven Dials for your
entertainment. It will take place before you here and now."
There was a little shiver amongst the audience. Francis, almost
to his horror, was unable to resist the feeling of queer
excitement which stole through his veins. A few yards away, Lady
Isabel seemed to have become transformed. She was leaning
forward in her chair, her eyes glowing, her lips parted,
rejuvenated, dehumanised. Francis' immediate companion, however,
rather surprised him. Her eyes were fixed intently upon Sir
Timothy's. She seemed to have been weighing every word he had
spoken. There was none of that hungry pleasure in her face
which shone from the other woman's and was reflected in the faces
of many of the others. She seemed to be bracing herself for a
shock. Sir Timothy looked over his shoulder towards the door
which opened upon the sanded space.
"You can bring your men along," he directed.
One of the attendants promptly made his appearance. He was
holding tightly by the arm a man of apparently thirty years of
age, shabbily dressed, barefooted, without collar or necktie,
with a mass of black hair which looked as though it had escaped
the care of any barber for many weeks.
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