The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-02-06
THE GAMBETTA DUEL.
How Mark Twain DiEtiaEuBshe EIimseI
aS "A StateEaan's SecDnd-

count OF his participation 10 the recen
duel between Gam beta and FourJOu
When he had heard of the outbreak i
the assembly he says that he called o.
Gambetta, whom ne found "steeped i
profound French calm" Mr.. Twai
after being embraced began the CONVEX
satiOD:
said / supposed he would wish me t
act as his second, and be said, go
course" / said l must be allowed t,
act under French name, so that nigh
be shielded from Obloquy in my countr,
in case of fatal results. He WINGED here
probably at the suggestion that duelin,
was not regarded with respect in America
However. he agreed to my requirement
This accounts for the fact that in all tn,
newspaper reports VI. Gambetta's seconC
was apparently Frenchmsn First
we drew up my principals will. | in
sisted upon this and stuck to my point
| said | had never heard of a man in hi
right mind going out to fight a due
without first making his will He sale
he had never heard OF a man in his right
mind doing any thing of the kind. Wher
we had finished the will, be wished t.
proceed to a choice of his A." lat words. ,
He wanted to know how the following
words, as q dying exclamation, struck
me:
e" l die for my God, for my country
for freedom of speech, tor progress and
the universal brotherhood of man!
Iobjected that this would require toe
lingering a death it was a good speech
tor cOnsumptive, but not suited TO the
exigencies of the field of honor. We
waDgled over s. good many Gnte-mOrteal
oUtbursts, but finally got him to cut
his obituary down to this, which he
copied in his memorandum book, pu1>
posing to get it by heart: = die that
/ France may live"
! said that this remark seemed to lack
relevancy; but he said relevancy was q
matter OF no consequence in last words
what you wanted was thrill.
/ then wrote the following note and
carried it to NJ. Fourtou's friend:
SIR-M. GamDetta accepts N. FourtOu's
challenge, and authorizes NE to propose
Plessis-Piquet as the place of meeting: to-
morrow morning at laybreak as the time ::
and axes as the weapons. am sir. with
great respect MARX TWAIN.
NJ. Fourtou's friend read this note,
and sbuddered. Then he turned to me.
and said, with suggestion of severity
in his tone:
Have you considered, sir, what would
be the inevitable result Of such a meet
ing as this"
Well, for instance, what would il
be-"
BlOodshed !"
That's about the size of it." said.
" Now, if it is a fair question, what was
you eide proposing to shed p
| had him there; he saw he had made
a blunder, so he fastened to explain it
away. He said he had spoken lest
ingly. Then he added that he and his
principal would enjoy axes, and indeed
prefer them, but such weapons were
barred by the French code, and 80
must change my proposal.
After proposing Calling guns, rifles,
navy pistols and brickbats, Mr.. Twain
left the choice OF weapons to the other
second, who flashed out of his vest pocket
a couple of little things, which 1 carried
to the light and discovered to be pistols.
They were single-barreled and silver
mounted and very dainty and pretty |
was not able to speak for emotion. | ST.
lently hung one of them on nv watch
chain and returned the other My COM
panion in crime now unrolleG a postage
stamp containing several cartridges and
gave me one of them. I asked if he !
meant to signify by this that our men !
were to be alIoTed but one shot apiece. |
He replied that the French code per
mitted no u,ore. | then begged him to
go on and suggest a distance, for my
mind was getting weak and confused
under the strain which Rad been put
upon it He named sixty-fve yards.
nearly lost my patience. l said
"Sixty-tive yards, with these instru,
ments? Pop.guus weuld be deadly at
fifty. Consider, my friend, you and |
are banded together to destroy life, not
make it eternal"
But with all my persussiOns, all my
arguments, | was only able TO get him
to reduce the distance to thirty five
wards and even this concession he made
with reluctsnce, and said with a sigh:
al wash my hands OF this slaughter
on your head be it,"
There was nothing tor me but to GO
home to nv own iiOn-heart and tell my
humiliatiug story. When | entered NJ.
Gsmbetts was laying his last lock of hair
upon the altar. He sprsDg toward me,
exclaiming:
The weapon, the weapon! Quick
What is the weapon ~
This " and l displayed that silver
mounted thing. He caught but one
glimpse of it, then swooned ponderOusl y
to the floor.
When he came to he said, mOurnfully
"The unnatural calm to which | have
subjected myself has tod upon my
nerves. But away with weakness |
will confront my tate like man and
FIenchman.
H. rose to his feet and assumed an at.
titude which for sublimity has never
been approached by man and mas seldom
been surpassed by statues.
After long silence he asked:
WAS nothing said about that mans
family standing up with him, as an Offset
IA INV hulk? But no mStter | would
not stoop to make such a suggestion if
he is not noble enough to suggest it him
,elf. ne is welcome to this advantage
which no honorable man would take.
cat what hour does the engagement
begin?
"Halfpast nine "
Every good, indeed. Have you sent
the fact to the newspspers!"
"S1, If, after our long and intimate
friendship, you can Tor moment de