The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-06-17
he Mad Duelist
BY
FRED GILBERT BLAKESLEE
Copyright, 1908. by Daily Story Pub. Coy

M ONSIEUR BEAUPRE, the noted
lvI swordsman and duellist, and
his friend, Capt. Mauriac, Of
the hussars, sat at their IA
vorite table at the Cafe de la
Paix one evening. The captain had
just told of a fendish murder which
had just been committed by man
whom the doctors asserted must have
been insane for months previous, but
who had hidden his inArmity so sue
cessfully that it was not even suspect
ed until too late, when Monsieur Beau
pre- remarked: Did ever tell you of
my fight with mailman? No! Well,
in some respects think that it was my
strangest encounter.
When a young lieutenant in the
Tenth hussars, was at one time sta
toned with my regiment at Marseilles
where formed q great friendship for
an American doctor, who was in prac-
tice there.
DR.. Churchill, although somewhat
older than myself, was still young and
unlike most of his countrynen an ar
dent lover of the foils. Indeed it was
our mutual love for the sword that
first drew us together.
In course of time my regiment was
ordered elsewhere and the doctor and
parted. We kept up desultory sort
of a correspondence for while but
finally even that died out and l had
not heard from him in any way for sew
eral years, when one day 1 ran across
him most unexpectedly in Lyons he
was delighted to see me and insisted
upon my being his guest during my
stay in the city. He informed me that
he had left AIarseilles and opened
private insane asylum just outside of
Lyons, and was, he assured me, doing
well. l accepted his kind offer with
pleasure, for we were both anxious to
renew our old friendship, and that
same evening saw me comfortably set
tied in his home.
The next morning Immediately after
our coffee and rolls the doctor carried
me off to his private sale d'arms, for
he was the same enthusiastic fencer as
ever and was most anxious for a bout
with the foils.
1t was fairly large apartment,
reached by means of a winding stair
way, and decorated with a splendid col
lection of arms and armor
My friend was an enthusiastic col
lector and his entire collection was
arranged against the walls of this
room. DR.. Churchill explained to me
that he had selected room SO that
the noise of the fencing would not
disturb any of his patients.
1t was kept locked and he alone
had the key which he always carried
about his person. He usually fenced,
he told me, with his assistants, several
of whom he assured me were excel
liant swordsmen.
We had several hotly contested
bouts, after which we dressed, left
the sale d'arms and parted for the
day, he to his patients and I to my
military duties. AS we stood in the
hallway of the chateau. discussing
each others play before parting, I
noticed a gentleman who stood near
us and who seemed to follow our
words with great interest, but
thought nothing of it, although the
doctor glanced sharply in his direc-
ton Dnce or twice.
I finished my work for the day
sooner than I had expected and 1t
was early in the afternoon when l
returned to the chateau. Being in
formed by the servant that the dec
tor was engaged with one of his pa
tients did not announce my arrival,
but laying aside my sword I started
out for stroll through the extensive
grounds which surrounded the asy-
lum. l had not gone far when 1 was
accosted by the same gentleman
whom / had noticed in the morning
who introduced himself as Monsieur
de Laval and who after some slight
conversation on general topics, asked
me if / would honor him with a bout
with the foils, saying that-he was an
enthusiast on fencing and that DR.
Churchill had kindly loaned him the
key to the sale d'arms. / acceeded
readily to his request and we strol1ed
back to the chateau, chatting of fenc-
ing as we went. / found M. de Laval
extremely well versed on the subject
and made up my mind that he would
prove no mean adversary.
Arriving at the chateau we de-
ecended at once to the former room,
my companion unlocking the door and
standing politely aside for me to enter
first. No sooner had we entered,
however than marked change came