The Russellville Democrat., 1880-11-18

paTtlctiariy OI the mlStTeSS 0I the mouse, | with whom was on very good terms. whispered in hrs ear some insipid filth. He fired up and struck me. We sprang to our sabres; the ladies tainted; we were separated and we went out at once to settle the difference. Day dawned, was at the rendezvous with my three seconds; waiting for my adversary with unspeakable impatience. The summer sun rose, and the heat was already be- I ginning to roast us. saw him from a distance. He was coming along in his shirt sleeves, his uniform on his sabre, and accompanied by a single second. We went to meet him. He approached, holding his cap full of black berries. l Our seconds placed us at twelve pares. l It was my turn to fire first; but passion and hatred had such hold of me that feared lest my hand might not be steady, and in order to gain time to calm myself | yielded my privilege to hi,n. He re- l fused. It was agreed that we should draw lots. It fell to his lot to fire first. He fired and pierced my cap. It was l my turn. At last l had his life in my hands. I looked at him greedily, en- deavoring to surprise on bis features at least a shadow oi emotion. No, he was under my pistol picking the ripest cher ries out of his cap and blowing the stones out oi his mouth. t1is sangfroid made me furious. What shall I gain,' I said to myself, 'hy robbing him of his life, when he makes so little of it? A terrible thought crossed my braln. uncocked my pistol. Tt seems,' said, that you are not in mood to die at the present moment. You prefer to breakfast. As you please, have no desire to disturb you Do not concern yourse elf about my affairs,' he replied, 'and be good enough to fire. However, as you please; you have still your shot to fire, and l shall always be at your service. with drew with my seconds, to whom Isaid that for the moment l had no desire to shoot, and so the matter ended. I resigned and retired to this village. Since that moment not day has passed but have thought of my vengeance. Now my hour bas come"
 Silvio drew from his pocket the letter which he had received that morning and gave it to me to read Some one, evi- dently his lawyer, wrote to say that the person in question was soon to be mar ried to young and beautiful lady. "You can guess who the person is," said Silvio. q am going to Moscow. We shall see if .he will look upon death in the midst of a wedding with as much coolness as he did before pound of cherries"
 With these words he flung his cap on to the shelf and began to stride up and down the room like tigar in his cage. 1 listened to him motionless and tor mented by thousand contrary senti- ments
 A servant entered and announced that the horses were ready. Silvio pressed my hand. He mounted little carriage, on which there were two cases, one con- taining his pistols, the other hls baggage. We said adieu once more and the horses started.
 few years passed and family affairs compelled me to exile myself in a mis- erable little vlllege in the district of-. Busy with my own interests, l did not cease to sigh when I thought of the noisy, careless life I had hitherto led. What found most painful was to ac- custom myself to pass the spring and winter evenings in complete solitude. Until dinner time l contrived to kill the time in one way and another But as soon as it began to grow dark I did not know what to do.
 At distance of four versts was fine property belonging to the Countess B., but her steward alone was there; the Countess had only lived at the cha teau once in the first year of her mar riage, and then she had only stayed a month.
 One day fin the second year Of my hermit's life learned that the Countess and her husband would pass the summer at the chateau. They arrived indeed in the month of June. The arrival of q rich neighbor makes an epoch in the life of country folks. For my pat I was dying with impatience to see the coun- tess, and my first Sunday after her ar rival went to pay my respects as being her closest neighbor and her most hum- ble servant. A lacky conducted me to the cabineG of the count, which was fur nished with most consunaIe luxury. The door opened and 1 saw enter handsome young man of thirty years of age, who received me in the most aniable manner. We were just set ting down mo easy conversation when the Countess appeared. She was really a beauty. The Count introduced me. l wished to assume an easy air, but the more 1 tried the more awkward and em- barrassed l became. My hosts, to give
 
 to each other to show me that they treated me already as Eeighbor and without ceremony. I walked about the room, looking at the books and pictures. am no connoisseur, but I stopped be- fore view of Switzerland, not so much | because was struck by ihe merits of the picture, but becase it was pierced by two bullets which had evidently been fired through the same hole, one after the other.
 That was a fine shot," said turning | towards the count
 "Yes,n said he, strange shot indeed. Are you an adapt with the pistol, sir?'
 ITO certain degree" replied, de- lighted to find some topic of conversa- ton within my powers. 'At thirty paces could hit card, of course with pistols that knew"
 'Indeed?" said the Countess, with an air of great interest. And you my dear, could you hit a card at thirty paces?"
 "We will see," said the Count. "In my time was not bad shot, but have not touched pistol in four years"
 "The Count" l said, "I dare bet that you would miss, even at twenty paces. Pstol-shooting requires constant prac- tice. I know it by experience. The best shot ever knew used to shoot every i day, at least three shots before dinner. He never missed taking his glass of cog mac before the soup"
 And how did he do it2" asked the Count.
 How? He would see fly on the wall--you smi'e COuntess2 I swear that