The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-10-21
FORCED TO FIGHT.
REMARKABLE STORY OF FRENCH DUEL To THE
DEATH-REMORsE OF THE SURVIVOR.

In 1888 Olivier FOntaine was Lieutenant in a
light infantry regiment stationed at Nantes. He
belonged to an old Toulouse family. His mother
to whom he was devoted, had educated him in the
most orthodox fashion. He fulfilled his religious
duties in the regiment as regularly as though he
had been tied to her apron-string. The Bishop of
Nantes, who, in his youth, had been a cavalry Of
ficer, used to say that Lieutenant Fontaine would
have made better Bishop than himself He was
idozed by all his fellow officers but one, Lieuten
ant TrOuillefou, who owed his commission to the
revolution of 1913. Trouillefou was perfect type
of vulgarity and ignorance, and declared enemy
of all that was noble, delicate and refined. He
continually boasted of a slight wound received in
a fight at the barrcades. In his eyes there was no
glory beyond that gained in revolutionary wars.
Like most ignorant men, TrOuillefou wanted TO
pass as a learned man. His historical blunders
were without parallel. One day, while the glories
of the French army before the revolution of l7S9
We're being discussed by group of officers seated
at a table of a cafe, the name OF the Marshal de
SAKE mentioned
''What do you talk about >" interrupted Trouil-
lefou. 'rhe Marshal de Sake was not before the
revolution
The officers looked at each other in astonish-
ment.
Don't you know that he killed at Ma
rengO ~
True" Fontaine replied; ''but at NIarengo the
name of the Marshal de SAKE was pronounced
DesaiX.n
From that day Trouillefou's hatred for Fontaine
increased. He never missed an occasion to insult
the religious feelings of his cOmrade. He called
him a canting priest nun, and similar names.
FOntaine for time bore good naturedly these idi-
Osyncrasies, but at last requested Trouilefou TO
stop them. TrOuillefOu complied with the request
and FOntaine, fOrgetful of his unpleasant remarks
treated him with cOrdiality. Two months later
several officers were gathered around table in the
same cafe. One, recently returned from a trip to
Switzerland, was speaking of ThOrwaldsen's mon
rffs.rn q
1772.
THE INSULT
'Poor Swiss ~ exclaimed one Of the party
"Really, they have always had bad luck. Even
in our revolutions, they generally received our
first blows"
at is true" added Fontaine. at is also against
them that 1858 the Parisans, under the Duke de
Guise constructed their first barricadesn
Lieutenant FOntaine had hardly uttered the
word sbarricades" when TrouiIefou, who was
smoking at the next table and apparently perus-
ing newspaper, arose from his seat and struck
the speaker in the face. There was great excite
ment Trouillefou asked why he had struck
his comrade. With flushed face, bloodshot eyes
and foaming lips, he said
''He has spoken dsrespectfully of barricades for
the purpose of again insulting me. No one shall
insult me without a blow"
FOntaine white as q sheet. He trembled
Two large tears stole down his cheeks. He kept
his eyes on TrOuillefOu. At his nonsenscal re-
mark he wiped them, covered his head with his
military cap, hurled at TrOullefou the words,
''NOu ass and coward, ~ and left the coffee
house. Comrades offered to accompany him. but
he declined their offer. He went To the church of
st. Peter He walked straight to the chapel of the
Virgin fell upon his knees and buried himself i'm
prayer. There ne remained two hours. When
he left the church he was as calm rs though moth
ing had happened. Nearly all the officers Of the
regiment offered their services seconds. He
thanked them, but declared that he had sought
advice from One "whOse wisdom and love had
never deceived him. and that he had irrevOcably
determined not to challenge IrOuillefOu. The
officers were astOunded. Some remarked that
military honor required that he should fight He
replied that Christian honor forbade it, that Jesus
had set an example Of forgiveness that no Chris
tian ought to disregard. Warned by Others that
he would be suspected Of cOwardice, he answered
that he believed he could offer better evidence OF
his courage bv obeying God than by yielding "a
human prejudice. If the army and the world mis-
judged mis- motives, he did not care, for God read
his heart.
THE ARGUMENT.
Although esteemed and loved by all his com
rades Lieutenant Fontaine could not convince
them of the correctness of his views. His refusal
TO fight created such a comm0tiOn in the regiment
that the Colonel deemed it prudent to interfere
He summoned the officer to his presence.
'Is III true" he asked 'that you have been
slapped in the face by Lieutenant Trouiilefou"
ayes, Colonel" he said
"Have you asked for satisfaction"
$40, Colonel
''You must ask for it without further delay
the Colonel said.
81 shall not for three reasons" was the reply
Let Us hear your reasons" rejoined the old
officer, casting a contemptuous glance at the
Lieutenant
Because duelling is opposed to human law, tc
divine law, and to common sense.n
rs that all ?' the Colonel inquired.
'Nes Colonel
'WeH Monsieur Fontane, if before the end OF
the week you do not challenge TrOullefOu to q
duel, will eXpel you from the regiment
Fontalne remarked that only soldiers guilty OF
some crime deserved expulsion. The Colonel re-
joined that to stain the uniform of a regiment
"A and cd
threat Fontaine left without hinching in his de
termination.
The General then intervened. As he loved the
oincer dearly he entreated him 10 fight, for the
honor Of his regiment. The Lieutenant firmly
replied:
Order me to give up life in behalf of my coun-