The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01

which they consider good enough for any COCA
sion abroad.
but the German meni There was just one
gentleman In correct frock coat, light trousers
and tall hat. Another came very near him. but
had apparently mistaken the feast play for q
funeral-he was in deepest mourning. Several
wore evening dress, with black ties; one had In
vented a kind Of combination dress.and.frock
coat-frock buttoned, dress unbottoned-which
but for It's general grotesqueness, was plainly
tho very thing for the occasion. But those were
hide-bound conventionalists beside the play OF
fancy which others showed.
Among tho dresses. as they say in the society
column, we noticed the following: Correct
morning dress, with q straw hat correct even
ing dress, with Shepherds plaid trousers and
brown boots; frock coat and cricket cap; black
morning coat, Leghorn straw hat and knickcr-
bockers; frock coat, white waistcont, and o kind
OF gilt deer stnlker: frock coat, sombrero, gray
hair down back, and bit of sausage sticking out
of mouth; frock coat, straw hat. duck trousers.
no waistcoat, tartan tie, another kind Of tartan
shirt. and a third kind Of tartan cricket belt;
brown knickerbockcrs, gray flannel shirt, patcnt
leather shoes, no coat. no waistcoat, no hat"
The harmlessness Of tho modern French duel
has at last been explained. and the explanation
will bring this innocuous amusement into even
greater ridicule and contempt than it already
enjoyed. The exposure comes in connection
with the discussion OF the question--to what ex-
tent or distance is 1t proper for an adversary to
retreat from the point OF his opponents sword
In other words. can he run away indefinitely
| and still preserve his "honor" as well as his
skin intacti The point has just beon raised
again-it seems It. often arises on the French
"held of honor'-in connection with a duel last
Tuesday between Lugn6 Poe. manager OF the
Guvre Theatre in Paris, and Catulle Mcndes. a
well-known poet.
There Is, as a Paris correspondent discussing
the incident remarks, something to be said on
both sides. Certainly 1t is not agreeable for the
duellist to have to pursue his adversary across
ploughed fields for q mile and a half, then under
the wheels Of a cab. and finally to prod him in
the back, as tho Comic dc Dion did ON o famous
occasion, and one can sympathiZe with NJ. Cle-
menceau, who III his duel with NJ. Deschanel,
after a spirited but exhausting pursuit, shout.
dered his sword like q wnlking-stick, turned his
back, and strolled quietly to the point whence
he had started. with the contemptuous remark.
"And now, monsieur. I will wait for you here"
Catuile Mendes was slightly moro humorous.
though not a whit less polite. when he exclaimed
yesterday TO his flying adversary. after flinginp
his own sword into a bush. IL am willing to die
from exhaustion on the roadside. II needs must,
but not from running after a poltroon," He was
wrong to speak at all, according to the strict
rules Of duelling, And the Gods has not antsci-
pated the case ofa man who exclaims: Il hsve
had enough Of this; I am tired" and pitches
his sword away. On the other hand.
the human constitution has its limits. NJ. Men
des Is an old man, much older than he looks.
NJ. Lugne Poe is quito a young one, and there
could be little doubt which would be the winner
| In n rntIa n ne roproa ~ ~, q " ha Il 1 ~ ad TINT
1t was NJ. Mendes's duty to run harder than NJ.
Lugne Poo and catch him up. and to advance
more quickly upon ones adversary than he call
retreat is taught In fencing; but the weather
was SO hot and the forest of Saint-Germain.
where the encounter took place. 10 so vast that
N. Mendess ultimate movement Of despair 10 at
least comprehensive. even II It cannot DO con-
doned.
But NJ. Mendas. unfortunately and inexplica-
bly,. has quite failed to understand the real pur-
pose Of French duelling. To kill or seriously
wound is furthest from the true intention. as
all the world outside France itself we'll under
stands. Its actual aim Is by the exercise Of the
minimum OF courage to draw the minimum Of
blood in which an insult can be washed out.
The matter has been reduced to such q careful
system that every element Of danger has been
completely eliminated. 1t Is In the description
of this system that the exposure has been made.
1t consists In keeping the point OF ones sword as
much as possible directed agains. ones adver-
sary's sword-hand. while breaking ground on
every advance that he may make. These tactics
have been particularly to begin
ners, and have frequently proved successful.
They do away with tho need Of any previous
knowledge Of fencing, and suit timorous natures
whose tendency to retreat Is instructive. A wound
In the hand. invariably Of no Importance. Is very
generally inflicted by those who have adopted
this system. which thus has the ultimate ad-
vantage Of putting q quick end to a combat in an
honorable way. and causing next to no blood
shed. There are professors who make a special
ty Of teaching this method. for which they claim
a certain scientific Justification and after a cou-
pie of lessons their pupils frequently succeed in
touching the most skilful and experienced
swordsmen. These professors are the providence
Of the unfortunate men compelled to fight with
out ever having held q sword In their hands. and
from them these willy professors take 200 francs
II the adversary is scratched ever 30 slightly,
and nothing II the pupil himself is wounded.
And now 1t Is no longer n mystery why the code
duello still fourishes In France. H. II. c.