The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-09-12 00:00:00

THE LATE DUEL NEAR PARIS,

Ihe Fijaro has given the foilowing &talk of a recent
duel, the authentic ity 4,1 which it guarantees

When the signal was given the twtt adversarit s ap-
proached each other with calm step and steadfast eye.
After eyeing each other for 3 Itdant., 31. Lissagaray
attacked, while his opixinent kept himself simply on
tine defence, and manoeuvred about the number of
paces' distance allowed by the rules of the duel. A
long 3131 energetic set-to tint n followed, Lissa-
garay continuing to force the light and M. Paul
de Cassagnac confining himself to parrying his
opponent's thrusts. After a succession of rapid
thrusts }lll,l parries, M. Lisste;aray's foil was
whisped out of his hand, anal his fingers were
a little disfigured. The seconds here proposed a poise
for a few minutes, which was agreed to, during which
M. Lissagaray bathed his hand inn a reservoir elose by
the scene of the encounter, which Was at Vesinet.
Time having been called (as Bars Life would say), M.
Lissag,aray again commenced a vigorous attack. Both
parties up to this time had preserved the utmost
! sang-froid and prudence. The game of :SI. Paul de
( 'assagnac was evidently to tire out his opponent, and
then make his coup. Five minutes passed away, and
nothing new occurred in the tactics of the duellists,
when suddenly M. Paul de Cassagnac made a
thrust towards the belt of AI. Lissag,aray. The
latter, however, parried the coup most brilliantly. This
appeared to please M. Paul de Cassagnac so much that
he cried out politely," I don't think, Sir, lever saw
such a splendid parry as that." Nevertheless, M.
Lissagaray, wino in nil all along be ii forciag Itt
now became visibly fatigued, and at the end of another
pas lie lost his foil for the second time, lie himself,
by the fore t of tine contrc-coup, shoperi down and rolled
over on the ground. Another pause if a few minutes
hero intervened, and M. Paul de Cassaguae, on the
permission of t, e seconds, took a drat- ght of water
from the tap of the reservoir; M. Lissagdray likewise
refreshed himself, and bathed Iris arms and hands.
The third "round" now commenced. it was easy to
see that M. Lissagaray was very much weakened ;
his thumb was swollen, and it was with difficalty
Ins' grasped his foil. Feeling his strength diminishing,
Ins cried cast to his opponent, " But why don't you
attack me, Sir? It is evident you want tin tire me
out." M. Paul de Cassagnac replied by a ge,-
ture Whiell 3,111141 to say, "That's inns'
After a few seconds, M. Paul de Cassagnac changetl
his tactics, and went in for a vigorous attack. Al.
Lissagaray, however, had no loager the strength
to parry his adversary's coups, and inn a short
thine received a deep wound inn the right breast.
Tine seconds held him in their arms untill the arrival of
a doctor, At this moment M. Paul de Cassagnac ad-
vanced towards him and said, " Wnil pin all, inns to
shake your band?" "No, Sir," replied Al. Lissagaray.
"And yet, urge 1 the other, " is only a question of
braverv." M. Lissagaray agdin replied, " With me,
Sir, it is a otte.stion of principle anti Is ditical dignity."
" 1 re..ret it very much," added M. Paul de Cassia,-aac,
as he tanned away, "for I should have been glad to
shake you by the hand." At this instant AI. Liters.
garlic fainted away, anti, as the wonnd did not bleed,
the Ittetor who had by this time arrived, applied
leeches. When he returned to himself NI. Lissagaray
wisla t 4 recommence the combat, aud it seas only ton
the urgent advice of his seconds that he el msented to
be taken to his hotel. The wounded than, according
ti latost accounts, is going on favourably but Inc in-
sists on fighting again as soon as IN is sufficiently re-
covered.

The Times. in a leader on the dud, amongst other
remarks.says

As to the real grounds of the dispute me are left com-
pletely in the dark. There seems to have been soma: real or
affected coynettot on the part oof M. de Cassagnac about going
out at the beginning, net the report lo d even been spreaol
that the duel was not too ecunc off at all. We are not alto oweol
to judge the gravity of the oolfence, or even of the ex;
toonce of any offence whatsoever. All that is of coon:Mai:lel t •
is that never were two ono ore ill-nototehe.l adversaries broonoO,t
1)11 the gromml. There was too personal animosity, 7: •
vind:ctive feeling between theno—none, at least, float ec.
became apparent. The two combatants hail proloaltly iron:
seen each other beOore, and it cmll be matter of regret foto
booth, as it seems, thoolgil Cr different was..., if they nevo
come together again. After a paSSagt: •Jf arms which Lost,
more than twenty minutes, M. Paul ot,o tiassagnao•
aolversary through the 110:ly. and then, w th room- :,
French politent,s, asked hint to shake 11:111d, The , •
it-nit loy the wounoled man, tenen the c00e0,,,, ,•;
oioserved, •• Why not Sap ly there i 3 between us •only
opte,tion of bravery." But 51. LiFagaray replied, •' With me,
sir, it is It WU:A.lo'ir laoinciple and po obt hail dignity." Thug
tin: two parte,i, M. oie n:grett nog that tie w is trot
;1114,1 col to press the hand of hi, vanquished adversary ;
the latter N',.Wnil that, if he survive-', the battle would
loolsoe to be foonglot over again, and ti orttrance.

That is how they understand these things in France. 31.
de l'asdagnac ioily secs in this bloody deed "a question of
horse, no d' li. Idsmsgaray '• a question of principle and poli-
tic dknily." fl i.e eel' takes the trouble to read the
minute licSet ilit ion of the combat must nocds conclude that
the ill-starer d provincial journalist, 31. Lissagaray, had no
more chance in tire lmnils of his Gasison antagonist than a
hind hi the claws if a tiger. Indeed, something like the
mune bet ween the eat and the mouse was played thromthout.
M. kit sagnac allowed lii, opponent to exhaust his strength
in ilkAtatitik, ill-et airr.inrst which too 00-11 fOli was like a
wall of steel, baffling the is,sailioit's fury, " a tasking off '
the weapon out of hand again and again at his own pleasure'
and only goil:g I. work on his own side whets the other's
power of offence and defence was utterly exhausted. When
M. de Cassagnac lent gainssi this hoard arid nothing remained
for him but to ''go in and win," he made a thrust which the
poor breathless lohlliderer was still able to parry. "I do not
think, Sir," sai•l M. de Cass:lmmo With kiflisig courtesy,
'• that lever saw such a splendid parry a, that." . . . As
it has been malty expresol, the professional lhmielijl ''mciii
his raspier into his man with as touch es se as ho wiffld have
stuck spin into a pincushion." . . .
Pit what are Inc to think of the infatuation of NI. Lissa-
. .. . . . .

S. lit, ro,,sesvcl himself bound " 011 principle,' and
out of rioted for political dignity." to CrOSS dales wills an
indagonist who had hint completely :mil inexorably at Ills
mercy? M. lissagaray WAS angry, not at his adversary's
superior skill, lost at the cool contempt with which the latter
parried all In, blows without returnimi them. " But ahy
lo you not attack ale, Sir?" asked the doomed victim.
" That is roy affair," replied M. de eassagnae, as it ineaniog
" Your time will come, never fear." AIIII when the time did

..... ..... .... _
conic, when M. Lassagdray was carried away with a wound
ill his breast which may yet prove fatal, the fainting man
engaged, upon the bare chance of his recovery, to seek-out
his opponent, and to grant him no truce till he had received
hisroop de pea, from him. M. Lissavray's hloam of " prin-
ciple" impel him to seek death at M. de cassagnac's hands
on :my terms. Surely, if we have on one site the valour d
a wilful hoinkide, we have on the other the bossism of a de
termined usileisie.. .

...... .
What concur. us is net the heliehlual ease lan theial
• • •

condition of a country in which a CABO like that seems to be an
almost daily occurrence ; a on •mitry lit Whiell iii oils of that
nature arc iii only committed with impunity, hut blazoned
forth in all their disgusting details wil h something like an
appeal to liulitiesiurrlortlry roil admiration Well only Vic
the Emperor Napoleon ho•iitate before he :Ohms the Erench
people an uwamtrolled utterance of opilihm. There ii little
chance (tor freolom of discussion where refcreinv is 'nude to
the laittiailesz frill Pr the final argminnt. l. ile ll'assagnac
may have liven honestly bent on proving that white was
white, hut he evidently hail it equally in hi, p.over to prove
tint Mack was white. At least he had it in his ',ow, to
send home as it sullect for the surge., or the priest any
man who dared to gaimay lriiii. It is itt:oile to see iv what
various stiges nations priateed in their pe olliar career •if
civilization. This duelling practice of nitch we hear so
much as still rife beyond the channel was ill hylione time,
far from 1111k111b111 II in this country. Not a liondred years ago
we bad our fire-eaters of NI. de Cassmgime's omit temp,.
Somehow Tr tither the race is extinct in these isles.