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72 A SHABBY GENTEEL STORY
"Unhand me, Runt; he's going to kill himself! It's for me!
I know it is—I will go to him ! Andrea, my Andrea !" And the
fat lady was pushing for the opposite side of the way, when suddenly
the second-floor window went clattering up, and Fitch's pale head
was thrust out.
He had heard a scream, and had possibly been induced to open
the window in consequence ; but by the time he had opened it he
had forgotten everything, and put his head vacantly out of the
window, and gazed, the moon shining cold on his pale features.
" Pallid horb!" said Fitch, " shall I ever see thy light again ?
Will another night see me on this hearth, or view me, stark and
cold, a lifeless corpse ?" He took his pistol up, and slowly aimed
it at a chimney-pot opposite. Fancy the fat lady's sensations, as
she beheld her lover standing in the moonlight, and exercising this
deadly weapon.
" Make ready—present—fire!" shouted Fitch, and did instantaneously,
not fire off, but lower his weapon. "The bolt of
death is sped !" continued he, clapping his hand on his side. " The
poor painter's life is over ! Caroline, Caroline, I die for thee !"
" Runt, Runt, I told you so !" shrieked the fat lady. " He is
dying for me, and Caroline's my second name."
What the fat lady would have done more, I can't say ; for
Fitch, disturbed out of his reverie by her talking below, looked out,
frowning vacantly, and saying, " Ulloh ! we've hinterlopers 'ere !"
suddenly banged down the window, and pulled down the blinds.
This gave a check to the fat lady's projected rush, and disconcerted
her a little. But she was consoled by Miss Runt, promised
to return on the morrow, and went home happy in the idea that
her Andrea was faithful to her.
Alas, poor fat lady ! little did you know the truth. It was
Caroline Gann Fitch was raving about ; and it was a part of his
last letter to her, to be delivered after his death, that he was spouting
out of the window.
Was the crazy painter going to fight a duel, or was he going to
kill himself ? This will be explained in the next chapter.