Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-14
TIE STORY OF A DUEL,

man now. but shall never foreet-neyer.
Poor lad. poor ladl"
was about five and twenty, and on nv
travels for the first time. In leisurelv
fashion : had traversed France and
Belgium, and crossing the German from
tier, had reached and taken up my
abode for twenty-four hours in small
town with river and bridge: a
confused mass of red-roofed houses. with
sheltcring forest-covered hills that favored
and shut in Its remoteness from the COM
mon highway. 1t was one of those
places whose antique air, Inherited
straight from the Middle Ages, charms and
invites the passer-by; the inn charmed me
also, gabled house on the old market
place, with a fruitful garden reaching
down to the river at the back The town
was not unknown to tourists, but living
apart from the usual track, it was
little frequented and for one reason or
another, the inn, when | arrived, was all
most empty. 1t depended for its prosper
lily, however, less on the custom OF passing
strangers than on the clientele of CONNER
cial travellers and on the excellent ordi-
nary It provided for the townspeople and
the officers of the small town-garrison
The table d'hote, ! found-for nv STAY was
prolonged from the one day | had proposed
10 four or fye-was always full. The
guests came dropping in one by one, hang
ing each his cloak and hat on a peg by the
door, and with a friendly greeting to one
and smother, took each his accustomed seat
at the liberal board. Each tucked a nan
KIN under his chin; men and maids flew
round the table; clatter of plates and
tongues began. The scene amused Inc. I
don't know why; through its novelty, I
oppose.
Oh the evening of the second dav. re-
turning from some excursion in the neigh
borhoos, too late for the public meal, nv
supper was served in 4 small room adioin-
ing the selle-a-manger. A door COMMUNE
cated between the two apartments; it was
closed, but 4 sound of talking acquainted
me that though the table d'hote might be
over, the guests were not yet all dispersed.
Some dispute was apparently in progress.
| could distinguish no words the speakers.
as | j'3dged, were at the further end of the
long adjoining room; but the raised and
vehement yoices, sort of angry clamor,
rising and falling, argued quarrel of
some kind. Presently the clamor fell the
voices died away amid a scraping of chairs
on the wooden floor; silence succeeded. I
had nearly finished my supper, coffee had
been brought, and | was preparing to light
cigar, when the door between the rooms
was thrown open and Young man entered.
Without noticing my presence, he flung
himself into chair against the wall and
sat motionless.
He was mere lad, not above 20, | de-
clded, on considering him more atten-
lively, boy with light, shining hair, a
fair complexion, and a girlish delicacy of
feature; faint yellow mustache alone
testified to his manhood. He was dressed
IN 3 iight-colored tourist suit there was
nothing remarkable in his appearance,
nothing to distinguish him especially from
any other fresh young fellow abroad on his
traveia; bCt something in his attitude as
he sat without movement in the chair into
which he had flung himself, arrested my
attention. lie sat with his legs stretched
out. ais hands thrust into his pockets. his
heal dropped on his breast. His face,
WIN should naturally, imagined, wear
the pinis-and-white complexion proper to
iai--haired youth, was empty Of even a
ting OF color, his brows were drawn
tose, her; he looked miserable, over
whe.mod, desperate; could not tell how
he looked. He might, conjectred, have
becu losing money in some bet or game of
chauag-a man who has left his fortune at
sarobling-table might wear just such an
expression. Twice ! thought of addressing
him but / was deferred by his complete
unconsciousnes6 of my presence and by my
Ignorance of his nationality for had no
better skill in languages than an imperfect
knowledge of French and Il still more
stumbling acquaintance with German.
finished my coffee, therefore, in silence,
and as he still made no sign, took up my
hat, and silently left the room.
On Ey way through the hall, | accosted
the gray-haired head waiter, an old man,
grown old in the service of the inn, and
| asked him if he knew anything about
the young fellow. He was an Englishman,
the man answered; and opened the visit
ors' book 10 show mc his name. His name
was there, Charles Holmes of Foxholme,
Surrey, England, and Magdalen College,
Oxford; he had arrived the previous
night; he had come from Frankfort; he
was on his way to Brussels-all this in
scribed with boyish love of detail in 4
round boyish hand He was fellow
countryman then, and alone apparently;
for with the exception of my own name,
none other of English nationality appeared
on the list for many DAYS back. His pale
look as he dropped into his chair passed
into the little parlor to speak to him; and
I xr1ub h,A I ,,.1ch a. 7 L
all might have turned out differently.
But the indominable stupidity and re-
serve of an Englishman stood in my way,
and instead of going back l addressed the
waiter again. Had there been any quar-
rel, inquired, among the guests at the
supper table that evening? He shrugged
~ shoulders. Possibly, possibly" he
said; he had heard raised voices he had
not been in the room. These gentlemen
meaning the officers often had disputes
among themselves. No one thought
much about it; it was no cne's concern but
their own
left the man, and started on an even
ing walk through the town, before retir-
ing TO rest. 1t was already dark, warm
and starless August night; the sky, heavy
with one cloud that spread from hill to
Hill, seemed to weigh upon ones head
now and then drop of rain fell; | could
see the sultry splash on the dusty paving
stones by the light of an occasional oil
lamp Pickering here and there 4 street
led from the old market-place down to a
steep, one-arched bridge that spanned the
river and connected the town with the op-
posite heights. | crossed the bridge, then
returning on my steps, stood leaning
on the parapet, looking down upon the
river revealed through the darkness by
It's slow onward rush, and by the rare
lights reflected on its black surface.
\ belated barge came swinging down
stream, its lantern sending long yellow
CLEANS across the parting water; it passed
and was lost in darkness beyond. Lights
shore from the clustered gables of the
darkling town. Close at hand, on the
river bank, girl sat at an upper window
mending stocking by the light of a
candle set on the sill The flame hardly
moved in the heavy air; it lighted up her
fresh young face, her yellow braids of hair
and busy hands. So she had sat many a
night before, so she would sit for many a
night to come; but THE thought passed
through my mind-should have no con-