The Strand Magazine : an illustrated monthly. Vol. 1, no. 2, February 1891 / edited by George Newnes.

Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Strand Magazine : an illustrated monthly. Vol. 1, no. 2, February 1891 / edited by George Newnes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    20/140 (page 118)
    spirits, the most reckless bravery, bearing a celebrated name, possessing funds of which he did not know the amount, but which were inexhaustible. You may imagine the effect he was sure to produce among us. My leadership was shaken. Dazzled by my reputation, he began by seeking my friend¬ ship. But I received him coldly; at which, without the least sign of regret, he kept aloof from me. “ I took a dislike to him. His success in the regiment and in the society of women brought me to despair. I tried to pick a quarrel with him. To my epigrams he re¬ plied with epigrams which always seemed to me more pointed and more piercing than my own, and which were certainly much livelier ; for while he joked, I was raving, a Finally, at a ball at the house of a Polish landed proprietor, seeing him re¬ ceive marked attention from all the ladies, and especially from the lady of the house, who had formerly been on very friendly terms with me, I whispered some low insult in his ear. He flew into a passion, and gave me a slap on the cheek. We clutched our swords ; the ladies fainted ; we were sepa¬ rated ; and the same night we drove out to fight. It was nearly daybreak. a I was standing at the ap¬ pointed spot with my three seconds. How impatiently I awaited my opponent ! The spring sun had risen, and it Av^as growing hot. At last I saAV him in the distance. He was on foot, accompanied by only one second. We ad¬ vanced to meet him. He approached, holding in his hand his regimental cap, filled full of black cherries. “ The seconds measured twelve paces. It Avas for me to fire first. But my excite¬ ment Avas so great that I could not depend upon the certainty of my hand ; and, in order to give myself time to get calm, I ceded the first shot to my adversary. He Avould not accept it, and Ave decided to cast lots. “ The number fell to him ; constant favourite of fortune that he AA^as ! He aimed, and put a bullet through my cap. “ It Avas noAV my turn. His life at last Avas in my hands ; I looked at him eagerly, trying to detect if only some faint shadoAV of un¬ easiness. But he stood beneath my pistol, picking out ripe cherries from his cap and spitting out the stones, some of Avhich fell near me. His indifference enraged me. ‘ What is the use,’ thought I, ‘ of depriv¬ ing him of life, Avhen he sets no value upon it.’ As this savage thought flitted through my brain I loAvered the pistol. “ ‘You don’t seem to be ready for death,’ I said ; ‘ you are eating your breakfast, and I don’t Avant to interfere Avith you.’ “‘You don’t interfere Avith me in the least,’ he replied. ‘ Be good enough to fire. Or don’t fire if you prefer it ; the shot remains Avith you, and I shall be at your service at any moment.’ “ I turned to the seconds, informing them that I had no intention of firing that day ; and Avith this the duel ended. I resigned ‘VVE CLUTCHED OUR SWORDS.’