Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-06-05

should he choose? He searched his
memory for the most swell and most
noted men of his acquaintance. At
last he decided on the Marquis de Ia
Iournolre and Colonel Bourbon, a
great Lord and a soldier. That was
doing very we'll. The names would
nave weight with the journals. Then
ne noticed that he was thirsty and he
drank one after the other three glasses
OF water, then turned to pacing the
tioor again. He felt full of resources.
II he showed himself full of nerve, re-
solved to have his way, exacting strict
and dangerous conditions, demanding
serious duel, u very serious one,
|, why, OF course, his adversary would
IN all probability withdraw and make
his apologies.
he took the card up from the table.
| where he had thrown it on taking it
from his pocket, and reread it, the
same as he had read it before, in the
cate at a glance, and by the light OF
every street lamp he had passed in his
caa GIG the way home
'G,orga Lamil, 81 Rue Money"
NotGin more.
He examined each letter, which
seemed 10 him filled with vague. con-
fused me"-'ln.:. George Lamil! Who
! was this man? What did he do?
What marie him look at a woman like
that? Was II not disgusting that a
stranger, an unknown person, should
have the power 10 upset ones life to
such an extent all in an instant, be-
cause it had CHARGED to please him to
look insolently al woman? And the
Vlcomte repeated slo,d:
what brute:''
Then he stood sill and thought, his
eyes fixed On the card. Anger rose
slowly within him against that bit OF
paper, hateful anger, mingled with a
strange feeling of uneasiness.
What a stupid story it was. He
took penknife that lay open under
his hand and drove it through the
printed name, as though he had
stabbed human being
SO he must fight duel! Would he
choose sword or a pistol, for he con-
sidered himself the insulted party.
There was less risk with the sword;
but with the pistol there was the
chance of making his adversary give
ground. tits very rarely that a duel with
swords ends fatally, a reciprocal pru-
dence prevents the combatants holding
themselves in guard, near enough,
each to each other, for swords point
to penetrate very deeply. With the
pistol, he risked his life in earnest, but
then he might come out of the affair
with all the honors of the situation.
He said aloud:
1t is necessary to be firm. He will
be afraid The sound of his voice
mtsae him shiver, and he looked about
him. He felt very nervous. He drank
still another glass of water, then be-
gan undressing. preparatory to get
ting into bed. AS soon as he was in
bed he blew out his light and closed
his eyes. He thought.
Il have all tomorrow before me to
take care of my affairs. Sleep first Sc
as to be calm
He lay very warm between his sheets,
| but unable to get to sleep. He turned
| over, turned back again, stayed five
| minutes fat on his back, then lay on
| the left side, then rolled over to the
right
He was still thirsty He rose and
| drank once more. Then an anxiety
seized him.
Am going to be afraid?''
Why should his heart beat so wildly
, at each well-known noise in his
chamber. When the clock was goin @
to strike, the tiny click of the spring
as it raised up, caused him to give a
bound in his bed. and he had to open
his mouth in order to breathe for sew
eral seconds, SO oppressed was he.
He began arguing with himself on
the possibility of the thing.
Shall / be afraid?'
No, certainly not; he would not be
afraid, since he was resolved to 90 to
the very end; since he decidedly
wished to fight and not to tremble.
| But he felt himself SO profoundly
troubled that he asked himself:
Can a man have fear in spite 81
himself?'' And this doubt invaded
| him, this uneasiness, this horror; if a
| fcrce more powerful than his will, rul.
Ing him with irresistible strength,
| were to obtain control of him, wha.
| Would become of him? Yes, what
would happen2 Certainly he would
be On the ground, since he wished to
| be there. But were he to falters
We're he to lose consciousness? And
he thought of his situation, his repu-
| tation and his name:
All at once he felt that he must get
up and look at himself in the glass.
He crelighted his candle. When he
saw his face in the polished surface he
scarcely knew himself It seemed as
though he had never seen himself be-
fore. His eyes were enormous, and he
mol s,l~ I.