The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-12-08

, my trousers; then 1 frightened tn
waistband, so as TO support the hips
= and, pulling up the shirt, pulled i
out around the breast, in order tha
the sword might catch there withou
entering.
George came up and extended {,
me one of the swords which lie anC
another Of the seconds had lust meas
ured, then, crossing the weapons, be
uttered the preparatory-'Begin gen
tlemen ~
Like a man accustomed to the sur.
pTises of the first moments, my ad
versary retreated a step. The blade
became somewhat engaged. With
/ the corners or my eye I regarded
Saint VS. red gloves, bran-new
ones, which dazzled in the sun. The
Marquis advanced two steps and at
tackled me with a rapid disengage.
ment. / parried, retreating quickly,
and sent him a TipOCte which made
him in turn retreat. There was no
other sound than the clashing of steel
aad in the silence was heard the gasps
Of our labOring breasts; we were both
exhausted. As for me, my heart beat
terribly, and my prOfuse perspiration
( gave the effect of two or three min
utss of complete submersion in learn
I ing to swim.
I All at once the Marquis exposed
his shoulder for perhaps a second: I
stretched out my arm and felt a slight
resistance; the point entered. I drop
ped the sword as if it had burnt my
hand.
80 pardon me, sir % I exclaimed.
The first movement, quite invOlun-
tarily, too, is to beg pardon, as Of
some one whom you have accidental
ly hurt. The sensation is very like
that caused by treading on a gentle
mans foot. The blood gushed freely
frUm a pretty deep wound the shOul-
der and arm stiffened; the Marquis
supported under a tree, smiled rather
glOomily.
put on my things a little apart I;
must own to a certain pleasure in
resUming my coat while contemplat-
ing, at distance, the group formed
by my friend the doctor, probing the
wound, and bathing it with fresh
water, the Marquis reclining on one
side, and Saint v bending over
him with those eternal red gloves,
which kept up a shining like the mo-
rocco of tOp-boOts.
George carefully wiped the swords
and sheathed them. Then he came
up to me, his mOustaehe biting, in a
smile which he had the good taste to
swallow; his eyes sparkling with
pleasure.
bravo, my little CASTOR :" he said,
in a low voice; "nOw, my boy, go and
shake hands"
1 made no objection, and approach
ed the group just as the Marquis c.
was saying to Saint v:
'I leave it to you, Saint v. with
queen of spades, second, and two
trUmps, what should you do?'
My dear boy, there is no doubt;
play, of course"
"Good 1 have been in the wrong
then. Well, that is odd, my dear
Saint v, Ishould have given"
"Wil you permit me, sir" 1 inter
posed, "tO offer my most humble
apologies ?"
''Not at all, my dear fellow" he re-
piled, extending his hand; "yOu
were perfectly right; the paly was the
true game"
I confess that on returning, the
sunset to my eyes assumed the most
exquisite fires. My heart was full;
| was conscious of an extreme need |
Of expression, gaiety, perhaps, even
more unnatural than that of our de-
parture. Nothing but Georges side /
glances restrained me.
The incidents of the duel were dis
cussed.
'Do you think, Doctor, the poor
Marquis will have long time of it ?'' |
"PoOh ! fifteen days or three weeks
in a sling"
ibid you notice." George asked me,
'tSaint VS. sublime calm ?''
"My dear fellow, noticed nothing |
about him but his red gloves"
Many times since / have had a /
couple ofgentlemen come to rouse me |
with their cards, at those early morn
ing hours sacred to the rag-pickers I
and the washerWoman. But never 1
again have / experienced the sensa- 4
tons, at once full of fear and fascina-
ton, of that first duel. Never have 1
felt the eneryation, the impatience,
the feverish exciIements, and the
heart-throbs of my first expedition to
Vesinet.