The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-22 00:00:00

A Scene.

The Figaro has the followi,pg : —" A topic of con-
versation in the Legislative Body is a scene which
took place a few days back at the Lyons railway
station between M. Bravay, deputy for the Gard,
and M. Anatole Duruy (Albert, we have heard),
son of the Minister of Public Instruction. The
former, who is a friend of the Viceroy of Egypt, to
whom he chiefly owes his fortune, was to go to
meet his Highness at Marseilles, and intended to
take the fast train which leaves at a quarter to
eight, but at the moment he arrived at the station
the signal was given and the train was moving from
the platform. M. Bravay applied to M. Portales,
the station-master, to be allowed to pass, stating
his name and position. The latter, however,
remained inflexible. He might have replied, ' Not
if you were the petit corporal himself.' He, however,
simply quoted the regulations, and politely requested
M. Bravay to wait for the next train, which was to
start a quarter of an hour later. M. Duruy then
smiled and took the arm of M. Portales, but M.
Bravay rushed upon the former and struck him a
violent blow, which stunned him for the moment.
On M. Duruy recovering himself he attempted to
return the blow, but was attacked by M. Brava),
and a friend of the latter. The antagonists were
separated just as the train was about to start.
M. Bravay got into a compartment with a friend.
M. Duruy followed him to obtain an explana-
tion, but could get no satisfaction and alighted
at the next station. He waited at Paris the
return of his aggressor and sent to him two
friends. M. Bravay refused to grant the repara-
tion demanded. What was to be done ? M. Duruy
decided on writing to M. Bravay, that if ho re-
fused to fight, he should be forced to apply to
the Chamber for authorisation to prOsecute him for
an assault. The blow of M. Bravay left a deep
blue mark on M. Duruy's face. The deputy for
the Gard has not replied to the menace of a pro-
secution, and M. Duruy will probably be reduced
to the extremity of appealing to the tribunals."
M. Bravay now writes to declare that the ac-
count so given is entirely erroneous. After
some preliminary observations on the exceed-
ingly unfavourable character of the above ac-
count, he goes on to give the following ver-
sion of the incident in a letter addressed to
M. Albert Duruy :—" I was in the Lyons station on
the evening in question, provided with my ticket,
and was signing a paper for my brother when my
servant came to say that the signal of departure had
been rung. I hurried up, but the train was already
in movement, and I found the station-master in
conversation with you. I remarked to him that the
signal had been given one minute before the regular
hour. I was exceedingly annoyed—somewhat agi-
tated—and consequently Iprobably used too much
vivacity in my manner and language. I then
mentioned my name and asked to have a loco-
motive placed at my disposal, of course on pay-
ing for it. On my making my request you
began to laugh and shrugged up your shoulders.
I asked the meaning of such conduct, which I
naturally looked on as offensive. You then cried
out, Ah ! M. Bravay, Deputy ! Every one knows
who that is! His story is a nice one I Every man of
spirit will comprehend that I could not suppress my
indignation, and so I gave you a slap in the face.
You then exclaimed, ' I shall call you out for this. I
am M. Albert Duruy, son of the Minister.' lam
sorry for the Minister, your father,' I replied. ' The
moment I return to Paris I will place myself at your
orders; even, if necessary, I will not leave at all.' Two
minutes passed, during which you never ceased to
abuse me. I was going to withdraw when you rushed
forward and struck me. My servant interfered and
repelled your aggression as it merited ; and if you
bear the mark, I am sorry, but you must thank
yourself for it. I afterwards found you at Dijon,
at the station, and there you asked for satisfaction.
The place was ill chosen. I however replied that
I should be in Paris in a few days, but that if,
at one moment, I had placed myself at your orders,
the same could not be the case when you had de-
cided to give yourself a revenge unworthy of a
man of honour, and after my offer of satisfaction.
In presence of these facts, the exactitude of which
could be proved if you contested them, I am
astonished that you invert the facts and endeavour
to make inc the provoker. My age and my posi-
tion interdict me accepting, with respect-to you, a
position so contrary to the truth. You ask me for
a reparation by arms, or before a Court of law—
you shall have both ono and the other—but as I
have excellent reasons for bearing calumny infi-
nitely more than a combat, you wiil not be sur-
prised that I do not follow you on the ground until
I leave the Court of law, that is.to say, not until a
judicial investigation shall have established clearly
the faults on both sides.

BOY DROWNED IN TIIE SURREY CANAL.— On
Thursday an inquest was held in Neate-street, Camber-
well, on the body of Goorgo Marshall, aged 12 years. On
Monday the deceased fell into the Surrey Canal while
playing on the swing bridge near Trafalgar-road, Peckham.
A verdict of Accidental Death was returned.
DUBLIN, Friday Evening. Mr. Stephen J.
Meaney, convicted of treason-felony, was brought up
for judgment to-day in Green-street. Ho delivered a long
and elaborate speech to show why sentence should not be
.passed upon him, Mr. Justice O'Hagan said the sentence
he should pronounce was fixed by the judges who tried
the prisoner. It was renal servitude for 15 years.