St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-14

me is yet alive"
My curiosity was excited to the high
est pitch. "Were you never defeated"
/ asked.
81 was once" said Sylvio, s'and this
| is the proof of the duel" He rose and
drew from hat-box policeman's hat
or casquette and put it on his head; it
was pierced by a ball within an inch
| of his head.
"You know said Sylvio. 'that l
| served in the - regiment of huSSarS.
| My characteristics are known to you
| and you know that desire to be first in
everything. In my youth it was an ir-
resitible desire.
| DuelS.in our regiment were daily af-
| fairs, and in every duel was either
| principal or second. | was repOSing
upon my laurels at the time when
| young man of rich and illustriodS fam
ily-permit me to withhold the name
| entered among US.
'.In my whole life l have never seen
a happier fellow. Imagine youth, in
telligence, beauty, laughing gayety,
| careless bravad0, limitleSs purse, and
the more grand name that he bore, and
| you may then understand the p4Ace that
| he Immediately took among us. My pO-
sition was menaced. They spoke much
of me, and he began to cultivate my
| friendship; but received him coolly,
and he left me with Indifference.
| hated him. His success in the regiment
and among the women made me despair
| | wished to quarrel with him: but to
| my epigrams he answered with cpl
| grams more cauStic. [ was obliged to
| admit it, and my anger augmented. l
| disliked myself and l Sneered at him.
At last, at ball given by one of the
| principal Poles of the city, upon seeing
him the object of the attention of all
the ladies, and more, that OF the lady
of the house, who was close and
great friend of mine, l whispered
a gross insult in his ear. He became
angry and slapped my face. We drew
our swords; the ladies disappeared; we
were separated, and we left the house
to fight. The day dawned; l was at the
place appointed with three witnesses,
and with feverish Impotence | awaited
the arrival of my adversary. The sun
began to rise, and it grew warm, when
at last | saw him coming. He came on
foot, his coat ON the end of his sword,
and accompanied by only one witness,
and he came toward us holding in hand
his casquette filled with wild cherries.
The witnesses measured off the twelve
PAGES. | had the right to fire first; but
was so agitated that, not being sure of
my ball, l insisted that he fire first. He
refused. We decided that we leave it
to chance, and it fell in his favor. He
aimed and his ball pierced my cas-
quette. 1t was my turn to fire. At
last | held his life in my hands. / looked
at him with ayidity, trying to find in
him the least sign of trembling. He
! awaited my shot, eating his cherries
which he held in his casquette, and he
blew the stones so that they fell at my
feet. His GOODNESS eXasperated me.
Why should kill man who seemed to
be so Indifferent to life? A bad idea
entered my head. l lowered my pistol.
81 believe" said ! to him, "that you
are not prepared for death, eating as
pleasantly as you do. Permit me, then,
to let you finish your repast."
''You do not disturb me in the least -
said he; "do as you wish. You have one
shot to fire and you may do it now or
later. shall always be at your dis
posal."
l turned toward the witnesses aud
said that | would not fire that day, and
the duel was ended.
81 took leave and came to live in this
little burg, and here never a day has
passed that | have not thought of re-
venge. Now the hour has come"
He drew from his pocket the letter
that he had received that day. Some
one had written him that the person in
question had just married a charming
young girl.
"Well." said Sylvio, 81 am going to
Moscow, and then we shall see If death
has no more terrors for him than 1t had
upon the day when we ate his cherries. -"
Several years passed. and the condi-
ton of my affairs forced me to live in a
little village in the district of N.
At the distance of several verStS from
where l lived was rich estate belong
ing to the Countess B; but the at
tendant lived upon it alone. The
countess was there not quite month
during the first year of her marriage,
and now, upon the second spring
of my solitude, for it was veritable
solitude that pervaded the vii
lage and oppressed me, the. report
came that the countess and her huS-
band were going to pass the summer
there, and sure enough upon the LIST OF
June they arrived. l will admit that
the coming of my young and beautiful
neighbOr was an event in my life, and
literally burned with Impotence to talk
with her, for in my retirement l had al
most died with ennui. And that is why
upon the first Sunday after their arrival
l went across the fields to inform them
that was their nearest neighbor and
most humble servant. The footman
conducted me to the library of the count
and went to announce my arrival.
The immense library was luXuriOusly
furnished. the walls were lined with
bookcases and over each case was a
bronze bust. the floor was covered with
Persian rug, and the marble fireplace
was ornamented by huge glass. Over
come with much unaccuStOmed luxury,
I awaited the count with the sensation
of provincial solicitor who awaits the
arrival of minister.
The door opened and man of thirty
two or thirty-three years entered. He
was a man of noble carriage and hand
some face. The count for it was he,
came toward me with frank and
friendly air. tried to recover myself,
but as / stammered some words of eX
cuse the count interrupted me. We
seated ourselves. and / had partially
recovered my cOmpOSure when L saw
the countess enter, and l felt worse
than before.
She was truly very beautiful. The
count introduced me to her; and the
more tried to appear at ease the more
embarrassed became, and that might
recover the count and countess began t(
talk together and at last began to talh
to me as though were an old acquaint
ance, that is to say, without ceremony
meanwhile examined the books. l an
not connoisseur of pictures. but one
caught my eye; it was landscape Of
Switzerland; but it was not at the scene
nor the execution that looked: it was
double hole made by pistol shots that
had pierced the picture:
"The deuce. A mighty fine sho
that" said l to the count.
Eyes," SAID he, "a remarkable shot
is it not?" and he asked me if l sho
well.
''Passably," said. "At thirty PAGES
I am pretty sure of putting ball into
sAh," said the countess, very at
tentively, and turning toward her nus
hand, "Can you do as well?"
1--WE might try.' said the count
'sThere was time when | Was pertec
at that exercise; but for tour years
|