The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-03-13
THE GAMBETTA DUEL.

Gods endless by-and-by.
THE GAMBETTA DUEL.
HOW MARK TWAIN DISTINGUISHED HIM
SELF AS THE sTATEsMAN's SECOND.
Mark Twain writes for the February mum
Der of the atlantic Monthly an account OF
his participation in the recent duel between
Gambetta and Fourtou. When he had heard
of the outbreak in the Assembly he says that
he called on Gambetta, whom he found
STEPPED in profound French CALM Mr..
Twain after being embraced began the con-
versation:
said 1 supposed he would wish me to act
as his second, and he said, OF course I
said must be allowed to act under a French
name, so that might be shielded from oblo-
guy in my country in case of fatal results.
He WINGED here, probably at the suggestion
that dueling was not regarded with respect
in America. However, he agreed to my re-
quirment. This accounts for the fact that
in all the newspaper reports M. Gambetta' s
second was apparently Frenchman. First,
we drew up nay principals will. I insisted
upon this and stuck to my point. / said
had never heard of a man in his right mind
going out to fight duel without first MAX
ing his will. He said he had never heard of
man IN his right mind doing anything Of
the kind. When be had finished the will,
he wished to proceed to choice of his 'last
Words He wanted to know how the fol-
loving words, as dying PROCLAMATION, struck
me:
Il die for my God, for my country, for
freedom of speech, for progress and the uni
versal brotherhood of man y
Iobjected that this would require too lin
ger ing death it was good speech for a
consumptive, but not suited to the exigen-
cies of the field of honor. We wrangled
over good many ante naorten outbursts. but
1 finally got him to cut lis obituary down to
this, which he copied into his memorandum
book, purposing to get it by heart:
die that France may live.
said that this remark seemed to lack rel
evancy; but be said relevancy wasa meter
of no consequence in last words-what you
wanted was thrill.
then wrote the following note and car
ried it to NJ. Fourtou's friend:
SIR-M. Gambetta accepts NJ. Fourtou's
challenge, and authorizes me to propose
Plessis Piquet as the place OF meeting; to-
morrow morning at day break as the time !;
and axes as the weapons. 1 am, sir, with
great respect, MARK TWAIN.
M. Fourtou's friend read this note, and
shuddered. Then he turned to me, and said,
with a suggestion of severely in his tone /:
Have you considered, sir. what would be
the inevitable result of such q meeting as
this p
well, for instance, what would it be p
'Bloodshed =
That's about the size of it, said Now,
il it is fair question, what was your side
proposing to shed?'
I had him there, he saw he had made a
blunder, SO he fastened to explain it away.
He said he had spoken jestingly. Then he
added that he and his principal would en-
Joy axes, and Indeed prefer them. but such
weapons were barred by the French code,
and so must change my proposal.
After proposing Calling guns, rifles, navy
pistols and brick bats, Mr.. Twain left the
choice of weapons to the other second, who
fished out OF his vest pocket couple of lit
tie things, which carried to the light and
discovered to be pistols. They were singles
bareed and silver-mounted, and very dain-
ty and pretty. I was not able to speak for
emotion. Isilently hung one OF them on
my watch chain and returned the other.
My companion in crime now unrolled pos
tage stamp containing several cartridges and
gave me one of them. l asked if he meant
to signify by this that our men were to be
allowed but one shot piece. He replied
that tine French code permitted no more.
then begged him to go ON and suggest dis
lance, for my mind was getting weak and
confused under the strain which had been
put npon it. He named sixty-five yards.
nearly lost my patience. I said:
Sixty five yards, with these instruments :?
Pop-guns would be deadlier at fifty. Con-
slider NY friend, you and are banded to-
gether to destroy life, not make it eternal
But with all my persuasions, all my argu-
ments. l was only able to get him to reduce
the distance to thirty-ive yards and even
this concession he made with reluctance,
and said with sigh:
4 wash my hands of this slaughter on
your head be it,
There was nothing for me but to 60 home
to my own lion-heart and tell my humiliat-
ing story. When entered NJ. Gambetta was
laying his last lock OF hair upon the alter.
He sprang toward me excaiming:
'1'he weapon, the weapon! Quick! what
is the weapon?'
This p and displayed that silver mount.
ed thing. He caught but one glimpse of it,
then swooned penderously to the floor.
When he came TO he said mournfully:
sThe unnatural calm to which have sub
jected myself has told upon my nerves. But
away with weakness will confront my
fate like man and Frenchman.'
He rose to his feet and assumed an attl-
tude which for sublimity has never been ap-
preached by man and has seldom been sur
passed by statues.
After long silence he asked:
sWassnothing said about that mans fami-
ly standing up with him, as an Offset to my
bulk? But no matter; would not stoop to
make such suggestion if he is not noble
enough to suggest it himself, he is welcome
to this advantage which no honorable man
would take
AT what hour is the engagement to be-
gin?'
'Half-past nine.'
very good, indeed. Have you sent the
fact to the newspapers?
kQia. Z, II afrar our long and intimAte