, 1870-07-31
A PISTOL SHOT.

A PISTOL SHOT.
FROM snc Ncco.Icrtlons of n Russian
spSftcrrs
Translated tf,um DIR Gartss,l7abs.
Garrison life III Russian provincial toNn,
winch does not possaza theatre not even Il
had ono ia, you may take my word for it, very
inripid and naonotonons in tho morning.
paradeH, two hours in the riding school at
noon, frugal dinner at tho segiCaental mtaH,
ur r,c1haps 1t . miserable restaurant; and at
night, car1a and bowling, roild tout. There
Was not single faroily to e1tcud their hospi-
tal,ties 10 US. We treated earb other at tho
vine ana l'eer shop. and asw nothing OF Gods
be3ntdul world but onr own green uniforms.
There vas Lnt one rerson. uho waB not in
the fe1vlce, Who areocisted with us, man Of
perhaps ior1y years Of age. His varied lufor-
nation won for him certain authority among
NJ: tut his sharp tongue and stern character
did not favoratly impress the Younger officers.
certain mystery surrounded him; he looked
true Ruseian, and yet f,ad foreign hume; lie
had Eerved in the army, he said, hut whF he
had quilted the service 80 ehrly and withdrawn
20 81 wrctched quarters ~ Wologda, where
life was both expensive and tedious, be never
explained Nh mattef how bad the weather,
he always went on foot. cnve1oped in black
wort-out laietrt. For us cfilccrs he always
kert an olcn table; thcrc we're indeed, only
two OF three ,liehes which his body SO: want and
fsctotum prepared with very moderate ski1l,
but as amends therefor, there was MTays mn
abundance uf burgundy aud champagne. No
one knew his circ1mstaEces or his means OF
xnpport, and no one veutnrea - nsk him; all
inquiries we're repealed by lis stern a.rect-
His library con.ieiel. for the most part, Of
military works. besidee few rom.nces Of
Gnrol and Fnrgcn1or, which he willingly laut
with tsnr &L1xJr frN ASx1vn
himself never returned a borrowed booa.
His only occupation WIS pistol practice. and
the walls Of his room were pierced with holes
like the interior Of beehive. 4 fine collec-
ton Of beautiful ard costly rissol4 formed tho
oniy decoration Of his room, and his a-cu-5cy
have allowed him to rllnot an apple from our
erFan!ettes without any hesitation. Although
We often talked about duels, S5lyio-ao he WIS
.called-ncyef took part in the conversation
and If anyone asked him if be- had ever fought,
he would cn1tly ansWer in the affirmative With
the question was irksome to him Wo ntl,
therefore, came to the cpncfu sion that his
conscience, perhaps, tortured him. his dexter
itv having probsbiy led to fatal results. In no
svent would any OF ~ hare taken him for
coward. ~ i'll this care his department forbade
the saericion. II was for thls reason that the
following occurrence created no little a=tonish-
| mtnt:
About ten Of us we're taking supper one
evening with Sylrio; there wa4 hard drinking
ss usaal. and after supper We insisted upon
CIR host being banker. lie at first politely de-
clinea, INT fra1ly yielding 10 the wishes OF his
gncsts. he threw tifsy ducsts on the table.
| while We seated ourselves around it Aud the
play began. lie continued, a. usual, to play
silently. Hyl'io. had never been noted he i
very generous player, and be was remarkable
n always refnA1ng 10 give any explanation: ::
it he ever made mistake to the disadvantage
OF player. he rsid him without hesi!ation !;
htA own Winnings he always noted On the table
With piece Of chalk, rs WAS his vell-known
custom: But tonight there VA. a yonng off,
regiment, and he did not know OF Syi.io's pe-
*uliaritiee. This rev conner played Wild
"; lie made l~t and lost it. Ssl-
VIC seized kiA chalk and markell it
down on the table The Lieutenant aston
ishcj. begged All explanation, but, as usual,
ant rubbed out tho tally from tho table, With
tho greatest calmness. sslrio renewed it.
Hested With inc and excited by play and
thu laughter Of his comratles, and inn aG.ning
sudlruly teixea candies.ick from the table,
aE1l hurled it with blind Iaseion at onr hort
be tkilfulls avoided it, and arose pale with
HTnth and with naming eycs, while all of uE
kept ait embarrassed slen:e,
NIcave the room, Rr ~ he cried. "Ani Tx
!
tllit.''
The Lieutenant Immediately nrosc, aud,
with Tho worus: ar you feel yourself instlt
cd, syivio, am 1T all times At youe service.
he urrarsed.
We did not fnr d moment doubt but that this
scr1sc wo7I'l hnyo fatal Consequences, AMI Vt.
!, already regarded our cn1nr,le an dead nun
:: W. played only for 3 sllaft time longer; To-
, | whtli We saw tltht rur boat was giving Il.
more attention to the Entnc, We htnEe III
, aud Er1tt lome, speaking Of nothing tu
,, the vacancy which would Eoou exist in tn
! squadron.
The next morning, as ne met in the riding
| school, we asktd each other, Is tie Licute
. AMI It'll aitge:" But. behold, tho maa cam
! il AZ frcsh and az hrisk a. ever. To our as
: 'crishment, he had received no clIaliong
, | from SyIvia.
With puzzled ,oinds we then visited syssic
; ard found him in his courtyard, senii { ba
after ball tt'rone}, card which 10 had nai!e
> nj, against tho stable Goor. Io received uA .
: II nothing had happened, and was silent abo,l
, ycflcrdays occurrence. THIS conduct on th
:,arl Of S,lyio caused him to fall in the cstim1
ticn Of tho cfficetr; for the lack OF persons
= courage is dt emco inc5cnaable By military met
among whom to be bravo il the first rirtrs
!, 1his unpleasant affair vaR, however, gradual
= forgotten, md S.lvio recovered lis former il
i fnccec and position in our circle. I, slont
+ could not induce myself to regard him wit
:. my former feelings. Before thiacve1l, ms inns r
:, nntinn had drawn me to this tnAtl, who ri
y rharcd to Ire myfteE, auA think that hi
! leo. preferred me to all the rest. for again!
= ne Ee never indulsea in ssrcasm as he oftc
= = did NTH my comrades. tut always treated n
s, with great einceti.y.
!. PEt, after til. occurrence, never coul
=. Danish the thought thas his honor war et4inct
r could no! look him fnl1y In the face as 70
;? 1erly. SylFios cSes were too sharp not |
:, q" tl'at OH several occasions he tried 10 bEil
i l.ont an cxplanatinn, but evaJed it b
!. HnFe it Was psiHfEl 10 me, acd go at last
| .!.+ists.d
- nwsilcra in large rites can hardly undo
:, .tain1 What sensation the mnst tritlinG aI2
- G:akes in small town. Thus the arrival
~ the mail throws kuall town into comm
:, uun. Every "Wednesday and Friday the i.ea
= viartera OF our regiment VA. filled witt OF
- ''frs. one exrestins money fern home. anotll
~ etsers, and another newspapers, which sos
Will. eagcrnets. They usually broke the ses
Of their lcttess on the srot, and shared t
tonte.4t~ with thrtr comrades: Sslsio also
n .cive: biz letters in cur MAJ. bag, and oIls d
lie he received ono which he hrcke open ri
ct grca, iinratfence. HE eye. kindled a. th
n glanced over it; Int as every one was occ
ur t'icd with his own matters his excitement W
lie not remarked.
hc Gentlemen" hc cried with an cxcitedto,
n ~ shall leave here tonight; !, thereto
H. ing yon 10 honor mr. ut noon with yonr CO
til isny for the last time. And you. too. Ct
se tain, lie eaid, turning to rue. II shal! cor
ne on yon." bowed p,sen:is, and he departt
lie We tiieFefseff, with the understanding that
ii would meet at nom at l,is rooms.
10 At thc appointed hnur went there, !
oi | found mr comrades already assembled
u, went to dinner. a1.d onr agreeable host toe
IA, almort ncrvoue'y cheerful, room infcctcd Il.
nd With tIa gay llumor. ard the corks 1lcw,
he | wlne-g!atHes we're filled and rrnptioi1uora r
! and Al aqof