The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-08-09

"This man will at once see that an
nervous"
So he did not ring but lit the fire himself
his hands trembling slightly as they touched
the cold metal Of the tongs. His head begai
to swim, his thoughts TO wander-nov
vague, now vivid, now gloomy he felt al
intoxication as of strong wine. And cease
lessly he moaned:
What shall dor What will become o
me ""
His whole body shook with convulsivs
trem0rs he rose, and, going to the window
drew aside the curtains. The day was break
ing, summer day, and on the houses, the
roofs and walls, was reflected the rosy tint o
the sky. One long ray of light, like a cares:
from the rising sun, touched the newly ava
kened world, and on this ray hope, intense,
fervent, overwhelming, came to the heart o
the Vicomte. How childish to be so paral
yzed with fear before anything was decided
before his seconds had seen those of this
George Lamil, before he even knew whether
they were to fight or not.
He dressed and left his apartments with q
firm step. While walking he repeated con
stantly to himself:
must be calm, very calm. l must show
the world that have no fear"
His seconds, the Marquis and the Colonel
put themselves at his disposal, and after
shaking hands heartily with him began t.
discuss the conditions of the duel.
The Colonel asked:
"You wish to fight to the death ?''
ITO the death"
The Marquis continued
" You prefer pistols %
eyes"
"You will permit us to arrange the rest p
The VioOmte made but one condition, de-
cisively, even arrogantly.
Twenty PAGES at the word of command
and raising the weapon in lieu of lowering
1t. Exohangeoffreu until mortally wounded
The Colonel exclaimed, delighted:
Excellent conditions. You are good
shot, hence all the advantage is on your
side."
They parted, and the Vicomte went home
calmed for little while, threatened to re-
turn with doubled force. He felt all through
his veins, his limbs, in his chest. a kind Of
nervous twitching he could not compose
himself; his tongue was dry and Glove to
the roof of his mouth, and every now and
again he made convulsive movement as Il
to free it from his palate.
He wished TO breakfast, but he could not
eat. Then he thought he would drink
something to inspire courage, and he ordered
decanter of rum to be brought, of which he
drank six small glasses.
A glow, almost fever, crept over him
from head 10 foot, and his brain grew dizzy
He thought:
I" have found the remedy. Now all will
be WE'LL"
But at the end of an hour, though he had
emptied the decanter, his agitation became
intolerable; he longed to throw himself OH
the floor, to shrek, to kill something some
body.
The night came on.
A ring at the door brought on such feel
ing of suffocation that he had not sufficient
strength to rise and receive his seconds. He
did not dare even TO speak to them, to say
a single word, lest the tone of his voice
should bstray the state of his mind.
The Colonel reported:
Everything is arranged as You desired.
At first your adversary claimed the privileges
Of Pinsnlte, but he yielded almost msdiatsly
and has accepted all the conditions. His
seconds are two military men,"
The Vicomte merely said
Thank you."
The Marquis continued:
"Pray excuse us IL We but come in and
20 out, but we still have thousand things
to do. We must secure good doctor, In
case of either one being MORALLY wounded T;
pistols are not child's play"
The Vicomte calculated
You are very good"
The Colonel asked
"You are quite we'll (; You are oalmf"
"Quite SO, thank you"
The two friends bowed themselves out.
When he found himself again alone he
felt as II he were going mad.
His servant had lit the lamps SO he drew
q chair to the table to write some letters.
At the top OF q sheet of paper la wrote these
words: "This Is my last will aud tesla.
ment," then sprang from his seat aid moved
away, feeling utterly powsrlsss to form an
idea, TO make resolution, to decide upon
anything one way or another.
All hs was going TO fight. He could no
longer avoid that alternative. Bnt what
was this strange emotion that held him nm
der Its spell He was going to fight this
was his firm and unalterable intention, and
yet he felt In spite of every effort of his
mind, every exsrtion OF his will, when the
hour came he should not have the requisite
courage to meet his opponent. He tried to
picture In his own mind the combat, his
attitude, and that of his adversary.
From time TO time he ground HIS teeth
from pure nervousness and with harsh
sound that made him SILVER. He would
read, and took down the "Cods of Duel
Laws" by Chalssnvillard. Presently he
murmured
"Is my opponent frequenter of the
shooting galleries Is he known at them
Is he member How can ! find this out ~
Then he remembered the book OF Baron
de Vaux on good marksmen, and he ran
"a kant A. "a No. II,
name as George Lamil was given. At the
same time were this man but an indifferent
shot he had never accepted 30 promptly
such dangerous weapons, such terrible
conditions.
Pausing before q small cabinet he took
from box OF Gastinne Renette hand
somely mounted pistol and placed himself
In position, raising his arm as II to fire.
But he tremblsd from head to foot, and the
mere sight Of the weapon made every nerve
culver. at Is impossible. can never
light In this way"
He looked down the barrel, through which
death comes. and thought Of the dishonor,
Of the scandal, the laugh In the salons, the
contempt OF the women, Of the insinuAtions
In the newspapers, the insults that would as
suredly be heapsd upon him by his interiors.
Still gazing at the pistol he lifted the cock
and saw beneath II cartridge shining like
tiny red flame; It had been left loaded
through carelessnsss. This gave him vague
insxplicabls thrill Of delight.
Suppose he could preserve before his ad.
versary calm and dignided self possession,
would he not forever be lost, ruined
man, seorned by his worlds And In his In.
most soul he knew, he felt that never would
this calm and dignifed self-possession be
his he could not command II and yet hs
was brave since he wished to hght-he was
brave since he-the thought that rushed t.
his mind had scarcely time TO form, when
opening his mouth to Its widest extent, be
forced the barrel Of the pistol with all his
strength down his throat and pulled the
trigger.
When his valet FASTENED in, alarmed al
the report, he found his master lying dead
upon the floor. The sheet OF paper still lay
upon the table, but great red stain now
pointed with deadly meaning to the words
This Is my last will and testamentp'