Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-07-10
The DUEL.
BY EUGENE SUE

81 BY EUGENE SUE
| 'esHA1L It be in this room y said La.
treaumont, also drawing his weapon. Then
he added in solemn manner J" For the
last time, Monsieur le Marquis, ask you
| to give me that Gazette" ~g.7,a =, ?.
| tsAgain ?" cried the Marquis in perfect
rage, for he considered the urgent requests:
no a thousand times, no! Defend your
self defend yourself F" -----,.~-.-
! "Ah then it is decidedly to come off
herein this room ?"
| eyes yes the sooner the better"
| "Well well my impatient one, will
be at your service in a moment" said La
treaumont, taking off his peruque, so a. to
be more at his ease.
| The Colonel and the Marquis prepared
| for the combat.
The three windows which lighted the
| grand saloon of the cabaret coming down
near enough to the floor for those outside
to observe all that was going on within, the
servants very prudently drew to the cur
tains of crimson serge, and the light pass
ing through this warmly .colored stuff, cast
over the room and all the eager counte-
nances by which it was thronged, dark
| leu ACAoSuAOA, pClAVCUAy IL AcopuS WHILE
| the bloody scene about to be enacted.
! At length, the spectators and seconds
placed themselves on the tables and seats
ranged along the wall, and awaited with
| anxiety the commencement of the duel.
| Latreaumont stood heavily on his guard:
his trunk, strong as that of Atlas, set
squarely upon his large and well-formed
loins, seemed so immovable, SO soidly f.-
ed upon his herculean legs, that it appear
ed like tower upon the arch of bridge.
The spectators could not but admire the
masculine and vigorous attitude of the par
titan, which would have excited the terror
or the envy of the most refined swords
! man.
The Marquis, on the contrary, slender,
light, and elegant, having hand like
woman's, and waist which one of Latreau-
mont's carriers would have encircled, ap-
peared as graceful as he was active and
the odd position which he took, when plac.
ing himself on guard, seemed at first to dis.
concert the Colonel, who, q vigorous and
skillful fencer. had assumed the guard pre-
scribed by the Academy, in all the excel
lent purity of the principles adopted in
Paris, Venice, and Toledo.
r In fact, NJ de Chateauvillain, seeing
that the strength and colossal stature of La
treaumont, skillfully employed, must give
the latter an immense advantage, inasmuch
as he could touch his adversary at great
distance, could keep him of, or master his
sword by his extraordinary strength of arm
M. de Chateauvillain wishing, then, to
equalize the chances of the duel, by oppos-
ing quickness and lightness of hand to the
iron arm of Latreaumont, and by the agility
of his fence to neutralize the advantage Of
his adversary derived from his gigantic
height, took his position, with his head bent
down. and his body crouched down SO close
to the floor, that he might have rested the
hilt OF his sword upon it.; and then, with
bound, he could retreat out Of the reach Of
Latreaumont, or again spring upon him.
So that the colonel, instead of finding
himself face to face with his enemy, instead
of being able, by crossing swords with him,
to feel beforehand, to anticipate or parry
the intended blow, by means of that .ex-
quisite tact, that feeling so delicate, yet in
applicable, by which, upon an almost insen-
sible pressure of the sword, steel seems to
shudder and answer instinctively to steel
sary, by constant and fixed look, that
sort of magnetic fascination which often
confuses or discourages the weak, Latreau-
mont was obliged to lower his eyes to
the ground, in search of an enemy of whom
he often saw nothing more than the nape of
his neck, and who sometimes advanced,
creeping, toward him, like reptile, some
times bounded away from him like wild
cat, and who never touched his sword
After some few minutes, the colonel, from
his great experience in arms, discerned that
he had to fight with man, Is skillful as he
was intrepid, full of prudence and GOODNESS,
who could give as good proofs as himself of
great knowledge in the art of fencing, &C
cording to the strictest rules, but who ex-
pected to derive more advantage from this
absurd and strange mode of fighting, which
was terribly dangerous for Latreaumont,
who excelled less in vivacity of attack than
by a return thrust, prompt and impetuous
as thunderbolt
Thus this duel, in which strength and
address were opposed to each other in such
deadly contest, was spectacle of terri
BILE and thrilling interest; the lockers on
scarcely breathed, and awaited the issue in
the profoundest silence.
All noble infanta what valiant mode
y Of fencing is this | It must have been
taught you in a school kept by lizard and
toad, for you crawl like one, and leap like
the other. Alb that last thrust was cap
italy made, had it but touched me-" ad-
ded the colonel, parrying violent attack
Of his adversary, who, with bound, was
| aSl1u Out u Ills IeUcQ ZONE on come
on by thousand devils there you are. a
league from me again, my beautiful gilded
butterfly !" continued Latreaumont, walk
ing toward his enemy. stake care for
if put my foot on you, by the mass there
will be nothing left of you, but the dust of
your wings"
"Well struck babbling elephant " said
the marquis, at the same time avoiding o
pass of the colonel's; that was regular
rams butt against the plume of cap"
While saying this, NJ de Chateauvillain
crossed the sword of Latreaumont quickly,
and darted upon him with the rapidity Of
thunderbolt
The pass was terrible but it was coolly
and adroitly parted by Latreaumont, who
returned with such impetuosity, that the
lockers on could not repress cry of terror.
But the marquis, STOPPING with incredi-
bic agility, the blade passed over him then,
standing almost body to body with the col
onel, the marquis endeavored to make
dangerous point, to which Latreaumont,
quickly opposing parry and thrust in
the same guard, so furiously given that the
marquis fell to the ground Fortunately,
the blade had been arrested in its progress
by the short ribs, so that the wound was
but slight; a line lower and it would have
been mortal.