The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-01-05

YOU; | am always ready at your serVlce.'
turned to the seconds, declaring that was
not disposed to shoot, and the duel ended
there
Il gave in my resignation and removed to
this village. Not day passed since then
without my thinking OF vengeance. My
| hour has now Gomez
Silvio took out from his pocket the letter
received in the morning and gave to me to
read. Some opp apparently his private
secretary informed him from Moscow that
a knoDa personality is soon to enter into law
full conjugal relations with beautiful
young lady. You will guess" said Silvio
who this knopn personality is. / leave for
Moscow. Let us see, will he meet death
US indiferently before his wedding as he
once did with his cap full Of ripe cherriesP
With these words Silvio rose, threw his
cap on the floor and started to walk to and
fro in his room, as a tiger in his cage. l
listened motionless; strange, conflicting
feelings were agitating me. The servant
came in and announced the horses ready.
Silvio pressed my hand firmly; we kissed
each other He entered the cab where there
lay two valises, one filled with pistols, the
other with his other portables. We took
leave once more and the horses galloped
away.
Several years passed and domestic cir
cumstances have compelled me to settle in
the poor, small village of NJ. Busily en-
gagged in managing my estate, l did not
cease to bewail In solitude my former
tempestuous and careless life. The hardest
was to accustom myself to pass the long
autumn and winter evenings in solitude.
The forenoon managed to spend some way
or other either talking to the bai!ff, ridzzsk
| anti 10 81, ho ~ ,a
else walking about the new institutions and
asylums But as soon as the day began to
decline was at a loss where to keep myse +.
The small number of books found by me
under the bookcases and in the closet-room
were learned almost by heart. All the fairy
tales which the housekeeper Kirilovna could
remember were told over once and again.
Her songs made me feel the more lonesome.
l took to the unsweetened ale, but 1t gave
me headache. To confess, feared to be-
come a drunkard from sorrow--i. e.: The
most sorrowfHL and helpless drunkard, to
which there were scores of examples in our
district. Near neghbors had almost none
at all, except two or three So,TOwtul ones,
whose conversation largely consisted of hic-
coughing and sobbing Solitude was more
tolerable. l resolved to go to bed the earliest
possible, and to dine the latest. Thus /
managed to shorten the evenings and
lengthen the days.
Four versts from M there was the
rich estate belonging to Countess B; but
there lived only the superintendent and the
Countess visited this estate only once on
the first year of her conjugal life, and
stayed there hardly over month. On the
second spring of my hermit life, rumor
spread that the Countess and her husband
were coming to pass the summer in their
country estate. Indeed, they came in the
beginning of the month Of June. The ar
rival Of rich neighbor is an important
epoch for the village residents. The estate
owners and their servants talk of it two
months before and three years afterward.
So far as am concerned will confess that
the news of the arrival of a young and beau
tiful lady neighbor exercised q great in
fuence on me. waited with impotence to
see her. and betook myself to this effect,
on the first Sunday afternoon after her ar
rival, to the village of C TO introduce
myself to their Highness as the nearest
neighbor ard the most humble servant. The
usher introduced me into the cabinet Of the
Count, and went himself to announce my
name. The ample cabinet was adorned with
rich, luxurious articles OF every description,
About the walls there stood bookcases with
books, and on each of them bronze bust.
On the marmar fireplace was broad mir
ror; thu floor was covered with green cloth,
and spread over with carpets. Unaccus-
toned to luxury in my poor den, and not
having seen other riches for some time in
the past, my spirits became depressed and
awaited the Count with the same indeter-
inmate feeling Of fear experienced by a
province petitioner awaiting the coming out
of the State Minister. The doors opened
and there came in q man of thirty-two, of
fair appearance. The Count approached me
with candid and friendly air. / tried to
pluck up my spirits, and began to introduce
myself, but he anticipated me. We took
seats. His conversation, both free and
friendly, soon dispersed my stiffened re-
servedness. l began to regain my ordinary
mood as the Countess entered, and confusion
took stronger hold Of me than before. In
deed, she was beauty. The Count intro
duced me. / wanted to appear unembar-
raised, but the more Itried to put on the air
of unreservedness the more awkward | felt.
In order to give me time to recover my
self and to get used to my new acquaintance.
they began to speak to each other, treating
me as good neighbor, without ceremony.
In the meanwhile started to walk to and
fro, examining the books and pictures. l
understood very little in pictures, but one
of them attracted my attention. 1t repre-
scented a Swiss landscape What struck me
was not so much the art as the fact that it
was shot through by two balls, one after
| the other.
what capital shot," said !, turning to
the Count.
"Yes," said he; "the shot is a very re-
markable one; land do you shoot well"
continued he
"Tolerably" answered l, glad that the
conversation touched so near to me. 81
shall not miss card in thirty feet; Of
course, from known pistols"
"Really," said the Countess. with an air
of close attention; land you. my dear, can
you hit card in thirty feet?'
1--WE will try it some time" answered the
Count. 'In my time 1 was quite q good
marksman: but it is about four years since
handled pistol"
49," exclaimed ''then 1 bet that Your
Highness will not hit a card in twenty feet.
Pistol shooting wants daily exercise.
know it from experience. In our regiment
was considered one Of the best marksmen.
It happened once that l did not handle q
pistol for month, and what would you think
OF 1t, Your Highness, when first started to
shoot again, missed four times bottle in