Morris tribune., 1882-08-31


right, then to the left, stopping often
enough to make one think of Il funeral
cortege passing through cemetery. l
bend over and whisper into the doctors
ear with the. greatest sang froid:
''Do you know whether the family
vault is very far away?
He looks at me with puzzled ex-
preston for a moment and then bursts
into roar of laughter.
Georges head suddenly appears at the
window.
''Step down" he says to me-
De B. takes the swords. Wejump out.
l still smoke nay cigar mechanically, be-
cause l feel that it is now an absolute as
sistance to me. The carriages halt a few
yards away. The four seconds meet and
chat together for few seconds. they
are discussing the ground. l look at the
doctor with smile.
"Bahn' he says-"that will be all
right"
look at my adversary out of the cor
ner of my eye; he is also smoking, and
seems to be quite Indifferent. The wit
nesses throw up some pieces of money
in the air.
George strides back to me.
"Gou have lost the sum-" he SAYS.
i,
might as we'll have thrown lots for the
moon. would lose all the stars of the
armament to- dav, one after the other"
And you have lost the swords. The
duel will have to be fought with your adj
versary's weapons. Quick, now. offwith
your coat; and don't forget what I told
you. Above all things. keep coolp'
All my sangfroid has come back to me ;
my heart beats little fast, but | walk
very deliberately to my post, lighted by
a few slanting sunbeams, and fling away
my hat, coat and vest. My adversary
and myself find ourselves face to face at
a distance of three yards, measuring
each other with our eyes. This is GER
talnlv the most trying moment of all.
With as much outward GOODNESS as
possible, l stoop to turn up my panta-
looms at the bottom; then tighten the
strap as much as | can, SO as to keep
them we'll above my hips, and 1 pull up
the shirt little all around, so as to pull
1t out above the chest, in order that the
sword might catch and be entangled in it
without penetrating the wearer.
George steps forward and hands me
one of the two swords, which he and one
Of the other seconds have been measur-
ing; then crossing one blade over the
other, he utters the sacramental-
"Allez, meSsieurs!"
Like an experienced duellist, accus-
toned to the surprise of the first few
minutes, my adversary retreats step.
The swords were hardly engaged. Out
OF the corner of my eve | look at Saint
VS. red glOves-very new gloves which
seem to CLEAN underline sun. The mar
quls advances two PAGES and executes a
rapid dlsengage. parry, retreating
quickly, and give him repost which
forces him to retreat in his turn. Then
there is no sound but the rubbing of
steel; in the silence our painting becomes
audible; we are both soon exhausted; l
feel terrible palpitation of the ;1eart.
and my irregular breathing makes me
think of the effect of those first two or
three terrible minutes ofsubmersion one
suffers when one is learning to swim.
All of a sudden the marquis leaves his
shoulder eNposed-tor perhaps half a
second; thrust my arm forward and
feel feeble resistance: the blade had
entered the flesh. | drop the sword as
if its hilt had burned my hand
"Oh. excuse me, sir.'' exclaim.
The first impulse-and a very involun-
tary impulse it isis to beg pardon, Just
as when one inticts hurt without in
tending it.. The feeling is Just the same
as when you step on somebody else's
foot by mistake or inadvertence The
blood gushes out through rather large
cash, the flow is rather strong, the shoul-
der and arm are forthwith congested;
the marquis smiles sadly as they Law him
down under tree. | Slip away to dress
myself; confess that l feel a certain
pleasure in putting my coat on again,
while watch the group, formed by my
friend the doctor, who sounds the wound
ard sponges the marquis with fresh wa
ter as he lies upon his side, and Saint V.
leaning over him, with his inseparable
red gloves that look like the inside of
new bOot-legs.
George wipes the. blades and sheathes
them. Then he walks over to me. His
the good breeding to keep down: his
eyes laugh with pleasure. ,...r.
Bravo! my little CASTOR" he mutters
in low voice; ''now, my dear boy, 90
over there and shake hands with him.
| make no objection and approach the
little group ju t as the marquis is in the
act Of saying to Saint ":
See here, Saint ", with Queen of
spades second, and two trumps, what
would you do with four aces in your
hand?"-
"Why, my dear fellow, there could be
no question what to do,-you must play
in such a case?"
'Then it is all right. I made a mis-
take, but couldn't help it. Well, it is
strange, my dear Saint v, I would have
wagered"-
At this moment I break with:
Monsieur, will you permit me to Of
fer you my humblest excuses"
''Don'tmention it, my dear fellow" he
answers taking my hand, ''you were per-
fectly right; you had to play"
must acknowledge that in returning,
think the colors of the sunset were UNI
usually exquisite. feel that my heart
is full; | feel an ineXpressibe desire of
self-expansion-a gayety even more arti-
the way out. George moderates me,
keeps me down with side glance. They
talk about the details of the duel.
doctor, do you think that the
marquis will be laid up for any length Of
time?"
"Pooh!-have to keep his arm in
a sling for a fortnight or three weeks
that's ALL" ...
'Did you notice." George asks
me, chow awfully serious Saint V.
Was?"
my dear fellow, saw nothing of him,
except his red gloves"
Well, since that day, have often had
a visit early I'M the morning from couple
ofgentlemen, who came to awake me with
cartel at that hour when only washer
women and servants are up.
But l never again experienced the
strange sensation at once replete
with fear aid pleasure-of the first duel.
Never again did feel those nervous i'm
pulses, those fits of impatience, those
feverish ardors and strange sinkings OF
the heart which felt upon my first visit
to LIE Vesinet.