Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-06-06
A COWARD.
A Romance From the French of Guy de Mau
PEASANT.

tran Joseph de Siguoles.
Being an orphan and master of a
large fortune he was very much of swell
as they say. He had good figure, car
ried himself veil, talked well enough to
be thought clever, had certain natural
grace of manner, an air of nobility and
pride which, With his fine moust ache and
soft eyes, made him attractive to women.
He was asked about greaS deal, being
much sougth after for his good dancing.
He had been suspected of several love
affairs, capable of giving a very good
opinion of a young fellows abilities IN
that direction. He lived, peaceful and
happy, in state of perfect mora we'll
being. 1t was known that he was a fine
swordsman and an excellent shot.
"When 1 fight" ne would say, / shall
choose pistol; am sure to kill any man
with that"
Now, one evening, having taken two
young married women, friends of his, To
the theatre with their husbands), he ask
ed them after the play to go and take an
ice at Portoni's.
They had been there but few moments
when ne notices that gentleman, seated
at neighboring table, was staring per
sistentIy at ons of the ladies. She seem =
ed annoyed and disturbed, bent her head
and finally said TO her husband:
"There is man here staring me out of
countenance. l do not know him. Do
your"
The husband had noticed nothing, but
he looked at the man, and answered en-
phatically:
mo, not at all"
Then his wife said, half amused, half
vexed:
at is really very embarrassing; that
man spoils my ice for me-"
Her husband shrugged his shoulders.
"Bah! never mind him. If you begin
by paying. attention to all the insolent
people you meet there's no knowing where
you will STOP"
But the vicomte had risen abruptly.
He would not permit this unknown to
spoil an ice he had offered. The insult
was addressed to him, since it was
through him that his friends had enter
eds the cafe. That made it entirely his
affair.
He crossed over to the man and said:
'You have, sir, fashion of locking at
those ladies which / will not permit. ]
beg you to be 50 kind as TO cease"
The answer came sneeringly:
"Why, you are making game of me, you
are"
The vicomte said sternIy, through his
shut teeth:
"Take care, sir, take care not to try
patience beyond endurance"
The man answered with one word, vile
word, which ran from one side of the cafe
to the other. All the people at the tables
started though Jared by an electric
spring. All those VIII Sc backs had been
turned looked round, the others raised
their heads, three walters whirled about
like so many tops with their heels as piv-
OTIS; the two women at the desk jumped,
then twisted their whole bodies as though
they had been two automatons worked by
the same crank.
silence had fallen on everything.
Then all of sudden sharp, dry noise
struck on the air. The vicomte had struck
his adversary. Everyone rose to inter
fere. Cards were exchanged.
Ii.
When the vicumte had gotten home, he
paced up and down his room with rapid
strides. He was far too excited to reflect
on anything. He had a vague idea of one
thing, ''a duel" but rs yet the idea awoke
no emotion in him of any kind or anoth-
er. He had done what he ought to have
done, he had shown himself to be what he
should be. They would talk about it,
praise him, compliment him. He re-
peated aloud, speaking as one does in
great mental troubles: "What a brute
that man is!'
Then be sat down and began to think.
He must as soon as it was morning, find
two seconds. Whom should he choosef
He searched his memory for the most
swell and the most noted men of his ac-
quaintance. At last he decided on the
Marquis de la Tournoire and Colonel
Beurdoin, great lord and a soldier. That
was doing very well! The names would
have weie hit with the journals. Then he
noticed that he was thirsty and he drank
one after the other three glasses of water
then turned to pacing the floor again. He
felt full of resources. If be showed him
self full of nerve, resolved to have his
way, exactipg strict and dangerous con
ditions, demanding serious duel, very
serious, terrible one, why, of course, hi;
adversary would in fell probability with
draw and make his apologies.
He took the card up from the table
where he had thrown it on taking it from
his pocket, and re read it, the same as ht
had read it before, in the cafe at q glance
and by tbs light of every street lamp h'
had passed in his cab on the way home.
George Lamil, 81 Rue Money" Moth
ing more.
He examined each letter, which seemed
to him filled with vague, confused mean
ing. George Lamil! Who was this man
What did he do? What made him look a
a woman like thatf Was it not disgusting
tkat q stranger, an unknown person
should have the, power to upset ono's lif
to such an extent, all in an instant, be-
cause it had CHANGED to please him t,
look insolently at a womanf And tn
yioomte repeated aloud:
"What brute!"
Then he stood still and thought, hi
eyes fixed on the card. Anger rose slowi
within him against that bit of paper,
hateful anger, mingled with strang
feeling of uneasiness.
What stupid story it Was. He took
penknife that lay open undef his hand
and drove it through the printed name
SIS though he had stabbed human be
ing.
So he must fight q duel! Would b
choose a sword or a pistol, for he consid
cred himself the insulted party. Their
was less risk with the s<ord; but with tn
pistol there was the chance of making
his adversary give ground. 1t is yer
rarely that a duel with swords ends fatal
ly, a reciprocal prudence prevents tn
combatants holding themselves in guard
near enough, each TO each other, for
swords point TO penetrate very deeply
With the pistol he r1sked his life in earn
est, but then he might come out of tn
affair with all the honors of the situation
He said aloud: