第3章

Itwasnotmerelyundertheexcitementofthesword-playthatthisfortitudewasshown；itwasshowninthesurgeon\'sroomwhereanuninspiringquietreigned，andwheretherewasnoaudience。Thedoctor\'smanipulationsbroughtoutneithergrimacesnormoans。Andinthefightsitwasobservablethattheseladshackedandslashedwiththesametremendousspirit，aftertheywerecoveredwithstreamingwounds，whichtheyhadshowninthebeginning。 Theworldingenerallooksuponthecollegeduelsasveryfarcicalaffairs:true，butconsideringthatthecollegeduelisfoughtbyboys；thattheswordsarerealswords； andthattheheadandfaceareexposed，itseemstomethatitisafarcewhichhadquiteagravesidetoit。 Peoplelaughatitmainlybecausetheythinkthestudentissocoveredupwitharmorthathecannotbehurt。 Butitisnotso；hiseyesareearsareprotected，buttherestofhisfaceandheadarebare。Hecannotonlybebadlywounded，buthislifeisindanger；andhewouldsometimesloseitbutfortheinterferenceofthesurgeon。 Itisnotintendedthathislifeshallbeendangered。 Fatalaccidentsarepossible，however。Forinstance，thestudent\'sswordmaybreak，andtheendofitflyupbehindhisantagonist\'searandcutanarterywhichcouldnotbereachediftheswordremainedwhole。 Thishashappened，sometimes，anddeathhasresultedonthespot。Formerlythestudent\'sarmpitswerenotprotected——andatthattimetheswordswerepointed，whereastheyareblunt，now；soanarteryinthearmpitwassometimescut，anddeathfollowed。Theninthedaysofsharp-pointedswords，aspectatorwasanoccasionalvictim——theendofabrokenswordflewfiveortenfeetandburieditselfinhisneckorhisheart，anddeathensuedinstantly。ThestudentduelsinGermanyoccasiontwoorthreedeathseveryyear，now，butthisarisesonlyfromthecarelessnessofthewoundedmen； theyeatordrinkimprudently，orcommitexcessesinthewayofoverexertion；inflammationsetsinandgetssuchaheadwaythatitcannotbearrested。Indeed，thereisbloodandpainanddangerenoughaboutthecollegedueltoentitleittoaconsiderabledegreeofrespect。 Allthecustoms，allthelaws，allthedetails，pertainingtothestudentduelarequaintandnaive。 Thegrave，precise，andcourtlyceremonywithwhichthethingisconducted，investsitwithasortofantiquecharm。 Thisdignityandtheseknightlygracessuggestthetournament，nottheprize-fight。Thelawsareascuriousastheyarestrict。Forinstance，theduelistmaystepforwardfromthelineheisplacedupon，ifhechooses，butneverbackofit。Ifhestepsbackofit，orevenleansback，itisconsideredthathedidittoavoidabloworcontriveanadvantage；soheisdismissedfromhiscorpsindisgrace。 Itwouldseemnaturaltostepfromunderadescendingswordunconsciously，andagainstone\'swillandintent——yetthisunconsciousnessisnotallowed。Again:ifunderthesuddenanguishofawoundthereceiverofitmakesagrimace，hefallssomedegreesintheestimationofhisfellows； hiscorpsareashamedofhim:theycallhim\"harefoot，\" whichistheGermanequivalentforchicken-hearted。 CHAPTERVII [HowBismarkFought] Inadditiontothecorpslaws，therearesomecorpsusageswhichhavetheforceoflaws。 Perhapsthepresidentofacorpsnoticesthatoneofthemembershipwhoisnolongeranexempt——thatisafreshman—— hasremainedasophomoresomelittletimewithoutvolunteeringtofight；someday，thepresident，insteadofcallingforvolunteers，willAPPOINTthissophomoretomeasureswordswithastudentofanothercorps；heisfreetodecline——everybodysaysso——thereisnocompulsion。 Thisisalltrue——butIhavenotheardofanystudentwhoDIDdecline；todeclineandstillremaininthecorpswouldmakehimunpleasantlyconspicuous，andproperlyso，sinceheknew，whenhejoined，thathismainbusiness，asamember，wouldbetofight。No，thereisnolawagainstdeclining——exceptthelawofcustom，whichisconfessedlystrongerthanwrittenlaw，everywhere。 ThetenmenwhoseduelsIhadwitnesseddidnotgoawaywhentheirhurtsweredressed，asIhadsupposedtheywould，butcameback，oneafteranother，assoonastheywerefreeofthesurgeon，andmingledwiththeassemblageinthedueling-room。Thewhite-capstudentwhowonthesecondfightwitnessedtheremainingthree，andtalkedwithusduringtheintermissions。Hecouldnottalkverywell，becausehisopponent\'sswordhadcuthisunder-lipintwo，andthenthesurgeonhadsewedittogetherandoverlaiditwithaprofusionofwhiteplasterpatches；neithercouldheeateasily，stillhecontrivedtoaccomplishaslowandtroublesomeluncheonwhilethelastduelwaspreparing。 Themanwhowastheworsthurtofallplayedchesswhilewaitingtoseethisengagement。Agoodpartofhisfacewascoveredwithpatchesandbandages，andalltherestofhisheadwascoveredandconcealedbythem。 Itissaidthatthestudentlikestoappearonthestreetandinotherpublicplacesinthiskindofarray，andthatthispredilectionoftenkeepshimoutwhenexposuretorainorsunisapositivedangerforhim。 NewlybandagedstudentsareaverycommonspectacleinthepublicgardensofHeidelberg。Itisalsosaidthatthestudentisgladtogetwoundsintheface，becausethescarstheyleavewillshowsowellthere； anditisalsosaidthatthesefacewoundsaresoprizedthatyouthshaveevenbeenknowntopullthemapartfromtimetotimeandputredwineinthemtomakethemhealbadlyandleaveasuglyascaraspossible。 Itdoesnotlookreasonable，butitisroundlyassertedandmaintained，nevertheless；Iamsureofonething——scarsareplentyenoughinGermany，amongtheyoungmen； andverygrimonestheyare，too。Theycrisscrossthefaceinangryredwelts，andarepermanentandineffaceable。 Someofthesescarsareofaverystrangeanddreadfulaspect； andtheeffectisstrikingwhenseveralsuchaccentthemilderones，whichformacitymaponaman\'sface； theysuggestthe\"burneddistrict\"then。Wehadoftennoticedthatmanyofthestudentsworeacoloredsilkbandorribbondiagonallyacrosstheirbreasts。 Ittranspiredthatthissignifiesthatthewearerhasfoughtthreeduelsinwhichadecisionwasreached——duelsinwhichheeitherwhippedorwaswhipped——fordrawnbattlesdonotcount。[1]Afterastudenthasreceivedhisribbon，heis\"free\"；hecanceasefromfighting，withoutreproach——exceptsomeoneinsulthim；hispresidentcannotappointhimtofight；hecanvolunteerifhewantsto，orremainquiescentifhepreferstodoso。 StatisticsshowthathedoesNOTprefertoremainquiescent。 Theyshowthattheduelhasasingularfascinationaboutitsomewhere，forthesefreemen，sofarfromrestingupontheprivilegeofthebadge，arealwaysvolunteering。 AcorpsstudenttoldmeitwasofrecordthatPrinceBismarckfoughtthirty-twooftheseduelsinasinglesummertermwhenhewasincollege。Sohefoughttwenty-nineafterhisbadgehadgivenhimtherighttoretirefromthefield。 1。FROMMYDIARY——DinedinahotelafewmilesuptheNeckar，inaroomwhosewallswerehungalloverwithframedportrait-groupsoftheFiveCorps；somewererecent，butmanyantedatedphotography，andwerepicturedinlithography——thedatesrangedbacktofortyorfiftyyearsago。Nearlyeveryindividualworetheribbonacrosshisbreast。Inoneportrait-grouprepresenting(aseachofthesepicturesdid)anentireCorps，Itookpainstocounttheribbons:thereweretwenty-sevenmembers，andtwenty-oneofthemworethatsignificantbadge。 Thestatisticsmaybefoundtopossessinterestinseveralparticulars。Twodaysineveryweekaredevotedtodueling。Theruleisrigidthattheremustbethreeduelsoneachofthesedays；therearegenerallymore，buttherecannotbefewer。ThereweresixthedayIwaspresent；sometimestherearesevenoreight。 Itisinsistedthateightduelsaweek——fourforeachofthetwodays——istoolowanaveragetodrawacalculationfrom，butIwillreckonfromthatbasis，preferringanunderstatementtoanoverstatementofthecase。 Thisrequiresaboutfourhundredandeightyorfivehundredduelistsayear——forinsummerthecollegetermisaboutthreeandahalfmonths，andinwinteritisfourmonthsandsometimeslonger。OfthesevenhundredandfiftystudentsintheuniversityatthetimeIamwritingof，onlyeightybelongedtothefivecorps，anditisonlythesecorpsthatdothedueling；occasionallyotherstudentsborrowthearmsandbattlegroundofthefivecorpsinordertosettleaquarrel，butthisdoesnothappeneverydueling-day。[2]Consequentlyeightyyouthsfurnishthematerialforsometwohundredandfiftyduelsayear。 Thisaveragegivessixfightsayeartoeachoftheeighty。 Thislargeworkcouldnotbeaccomplishedifthebadge-holdersstoodupontheirprivilegeandceasedtovolunteer。 2。Theyhavetoborrowthearmsbecausetheycouldnotgetthemelsewhereorotherwise。AsIunderstandit，thepublicauthorities，alloverGermany，allowthefiveCorpstokeepswords，butDONOTALLOWTHEMTOUSETHEM。 Thisislawisrigid；itisonlytheexecutionofitthatislax。 Ofcourse，wherethereissomuchfighting，thestudentsmakeitapointtokeepthemselvesinconstantpracticewiththefoil。Oneoftenseesthem，atthetablesintheCastlegrounds，usingtheirwhipsorcanestoillustratesomenewswordtrickwhichtheyhaveheardabout； andbetweentheduels，onthedaywhosehistoryI havebeenwriting，theswordswerenotalwaysidle； everynowandthenweheardasuccessionofthekeenhissingsoundswhichtheswordmakeswhenitisbeingputthroughitspacesintheair，andthisinformedusthatastudentwaspracticing。Necessarily，thisunceasingattentiontotheartdevelopsanexpertoccasionally。 Hebecomesfamousinhisownuniversity，hisrenownspreadstootheruniversities。HeisinvitedtoGo\"ttingen，tofightwithaGo\"ttingenexpert；ifheisvictorious，hewillbeinvitedtoothercolleges，orthosecollegeswillsendtheirexpertstohim。AmericansandEnglishmenoftenjoinoneoranotherofthefivecorps。Ayearortwoago，theprincipalHeidelbergexpertwasabigKentuckian； hewasinvitedtothevariousuniversitiesandleftawakeofvictorybehindhimallaboutGermany； butatlastalittlestudentinStrasburgdefeatedhim。 TherewasformerlyastudentinHeidelbergwhohadpickedupsomewhereandmasteredapeculiartrickofcuttingupunderinsteadofcleavingdownfromabove。Whilethetricklastedhewoninsixteensuccessiveduelsinhisuniversity； butbythattimeobservershaddiscoveredwhathischarmwas，andhowtobreakit，thereforehischampionshipceased。 Arulewhichforbidssocialintercoursebetweenmembersofdifferentcorpsisstrict。Inthedueling-house，intheparks，onthestreet，andanywhereandeverywherethatthestudentsgo，capsofacolorgroupthemselvestogether。 Ifallthetablesinapublicgardenwerecrowdedbutone，andthatonehadtwored-capstudentsatitandtenvacantplaces，theyellow-caps，theblue-caps，thewhitecaps，andthegreencaps，seekingseats，wouldgobythattableandnotseemtoseeit，norseemtobeawarethattherewassuchatableinthegrounds。 Thestudentbywhosecourtesywehadbeenenabledtovisitthedueling-place，worethewhitecap——PrussianCorps。 Heintroducedustomanywhitecaps，buttononeofanothercolor。Thecorpsetiquetteextendedeventous，whowerestrangers，andrequiredustogroupwiththewhitecorpsonly，andspeakonlywiththewhitecorps，whileweweretheirguests，andkeepalooffromthecapsoftheothercolors。OnceIwishedtoexaminesomeoftheswords，butanAmericanstudentsaid，\"Itwouldnotbequitepolite； thesenowinthewindowsallhaveredhiltsorblue； theywillbringinsomewithwhitehiltspresently，andthoseyoucanhandlefreely。\"Whenaswordwasbrokeninthefirstduel，Iwantedapieceofit；butitshiltwasthewrongcolor，soitwasconsideredbestandpolitesttoawaitapropererseason。Itwasbroughttomeaftertheroomwascleared，andIwillnowmakea\"life-size\" sketchofitbytracingalinearounditwithmypen，toshowthewidthoftheweapon。[Figure1]Thelengthoftheseswordsisaboutthreefeet，andtheyarequiteheavy。 One\'sdispositiontocheer，duringthecourseoftheduelsorattheirclose，wasnaturallystrong，butcorpsetiquetteforbadeanydemonstrationsofthissort。 Howeverbrilliantacontestoravictorymightbe，nosignorsoundbetrayedthatanyonewasmoved。 Adignifiedgravityandrepressionweremaintainedatalltimes。 Whentheduelingwasfinishedandwewerereadytogo，thegentlemenofthePrussianCorpstowhomwehadbeenintroducedtookofftheircapsinthecourteousGermanway，andalsoshookhands；theirbrethrenofthesameordertookofftheircapsandbowed，butwithoutshakinghands； thegentlemenoftheothercorpstreatedusjustastheywouldhavetreatedwhitecaps——theyfellapart，apparentlyunconsciously，andleftusanunobstructedpathway，butdidnotseemtoseeusorknowwewerethere。 Ifwehadgonethitherthefollowingweekasguestsofanothercorps，thewhitecaps，withoutmeaninganyoffense，wouldhaveobservedtheetiquetteoftheirorderandignoredourpresence。 [Howstrangelyarecomedyandtragedyblendedinthislife! Ihadnotbeenhomeafullhalf-hour，afterwitnessingthoseplayfulsham-duels，whencircumstancesmadeitnecessaryformetogetreadyimmediatelytoassistpersonallyatarealone——aduelwithnoeffeminatelimitationinthematterofresults，butabattletothedeath。Anaccountofit，inthenextchapter，willshowthereaderthatduelsbetweenboys，forfun，andduelsbetweenmeninearnest，areverydifferentaffairs。] CHAPTERVIII TheGreatFrenchDuel[ISecondGambettainaTerrificDuel] MuchasthemodernFrenchduelisridiculedbycertainsmartpeople，itisinrealityoneofthemostdangerousinstitutionsofourday。Sinceitisalwaysfoughtintheopenair，thecombatantsarenearlysuretocatchcold。 M。PauldeCassagnac，themostinveterateoftheFrenchduelists，hadsufferedsoofteninthiswaythatheisatlastaconfirmedinvalid；andthebestphysicianinParishasexpressedtheopinionthatifhegoesonduelingforfifteenortwentyyearsmore——unlessheformsthehabitoffightinginacomfortableroomwheredampsanddraughtscannotintrude——hewilleventuallyendangerhislife。 ThisoughttomoderatethetalkofthosepeoplewhoaresostubborninmaintainingthattheFrenchduelisthemosthealth-givingofrecreationsbecauseoftheopen-airexerciseitaffords。AnditoughtalsotomoderatethatfoolishtalkaboutFrenchduelistsandsocialist-hatedmonarchsbeingtheonlypeoplewhoareimmoral。 Butitistimetogetatmysubject。AssoonasIheardofthelatefieryoutbreakbetweenM。GambettaandM。FourtouintheFrenchAssembly，Iknewthattroublemustfollow。 IknewitbecausealongpersonalfriendshipwithM。Gambettarevealedtomethedesperateandimplacablenatureoftheman。Vastasarehisphysicalproportions，Iknewthatthethirstforrevengewouldpenetratetotheremotestfrontiersofhisperson。 Ididnotwaitforhimtocallonme，butwentatoncetohim。AsIhadexpected，IfoundthebravefellowsteepedinaprofoundFrenchcalm。IsayFrenchcalm，becauseFrenchcalmnessandEnglishcalmnesshavepointsofdifference。Hewasmovingswiftlybackandforthamongthedebrisofhisfurniture，nowandthenstavingchancefragmentsofitacrosstheroomwithhisfoot； grindingaconstantgristofcursesthroughhissetteeth； andhaltingeverylittlewhiletodepositanotherhandfulofhishaironthepilewhichhehadbeenbuildingofitonthetable。 Hethrewhisarmsaroundmyneck，bentmeoverhisstomachtohisbreast，kissedmeonbothcheeks，huggedmefourorfivetimes，andthenplacedmeinhisownarm-chair。 AssoonasIhadgotwellagain，webeganbusinessatonce。 IsaidIsupposedhewouldwishmetoactashissecond，andhesaid，\"Ofcourse。\"IsaidImustbeallowedtoactunderaFrenchname，sothatImightbeshieldedfromobloquyinmycountry，incaseoffatalresults。 Hewincedhere，probablyatthesuggestionthatduelingwasnotregardedwithrespectinAmerica。However，heagreedtomyrequirement。ThisaccountsforthefactthatinallthenewspaperreportsM。Gambetta\'ssecondwasapparentlyaFrenchman。 First，wedrewupmyprincipal\'swill。Iinsisteduponthis，andstucktomypoint。IsaidIhadneverheardofamaninhisrightmindgoingouttofightaduelwithoutfirstmakinghiswill。Hesaidhehadneverheardofamaninhisrightminddoinganythingofthekind。 Whenhehadfinishedthewill，hewishedtoproceedtoachoiceofhis\"lastwords。\"Hewantedtoknowhowthefollowingwords，asadyingexclamation，struckme: \"IdieformyGod，formycountry，forfreedomofspeech，forprogress，andtheuniversalbrotherhoodofman!\" Iobjectedthatthiswouldrequiretoolingeringadeath； itwasagoodspeechforaconsumptive，butnotsuitedtotheexigenciesofthefieldofhonor。Wewrangledoveragoodmanyante-mortemoutburts，butIfinallygothimtocuthisobituarydowntothis，whichhecopiedintohismemorandum-book，purposingtogetitbyheart: \"IDIETHATFRANCEMIGHTLIVE。\" Isaidthatthisremarkseemedtolackrelevancy；buthesaidrelevancywasamatterofnoconsequenceinlastwords，whatyouwantedwasthrill。 Thenextthinginorderwasthechoiceofweapons。 Myprincipalsaidhewasnotfeelingwell，andwouldleavethatandtheotherdetailsoftheproposedmeetingtome。 ThereforeIwrotethefollowingnoteandcarriedittoM。Fourtou\'sfriend: Sir:M。GambettaacceptsM。Fourtou\'schallenge，andauthorizesmetoproposePlessis-Piquetastheplaceofmeeting；tomorrowmorningatdaybreakasthetime； andaxesastheweapons。 Iam，sir，withgreatrespect，MarkTwain。 M。Fourtou\'sfriendreadthisnote，andshuddered。 Thenheturnedtome，andsaid，withasuggestionofseverityinhistone: \"Haveyouconsidered，sir，whatwouldbetheinevitableresultofsuchameetingasthis?\" \"Well，forinstance，whatWOULDitbe?\" \"Bloodshed!\" \"That\'saboutthesizeofit，\"Isaid。\"Now，ifitisafairquestion，whatwasyoursideproposingtoshed?\" Ihadhimthere。Hesawhehadmadeablunder，sohehastenedtoexplainitaway。Hesaidhehadspokenjestingly。 Thenheaddedthatheandhisprincipalwouldenjoyaxes，andindeedpreferthem，butsuchweaponswerebarredbytheFrenchcode，andsoImustchangemyproposal。 Iwalkedthefloor，turningthethingoverinmymind，andfinallyitoccurredtomethatGatling-gunsatfifteenpaceswouldbealikelywaytogetaverdictonthefieldofhonor。SoIframedthisideaintoaproposition。 Butitwasnotaccepted。Thecodewasinthewayagain。 Iproposedrifles；thendouble-barreledshotguns； thenColt\'snavyrevolvers。Thesebeingallrejected，Ireflectedawhile，andsarcasticallysuggestedbrickbatsatthree-quartersofamile。Ialwayshatetofoolawayahumorousthingonapersonwhohasnoperceptionofhumor； anditfilledmewithbitternesswhenthismanwentsoberlyawaytosubmitthelastpropositiontohisprincipal。 Hecamebackpresentlyandsaidhisprincipalwascharmedwiththeideaofbrickbatsatthree-quartersofamile，butmustdeclineonaccountofthedangertodisinterestedpartiespassingbetweenthem。ThenIsaid: \"Well，Iamattheendofmystring，now。PerhapsYOU wouldbegoodenoughtosuggestaweapon?Perhapsyouhaveevenhadoneinyourmindallthetime?\" Hiscountenancebrightened，andhesaidwithalacrity: \"Oh，withoutdoubt，monsieur!\" Sohefelltohuntinginhispockets——pocketafterpocket，andhehadplentyofthem——mutteringallthewhile，\"Now，whatcouldIhavedonewiththem?\" Atlasthewassuccessful。HefishedoutofhisvestpocketacoupleoflittlethingswhichIcarriedtothelightandascertainedtobepistols。Theyweresingle-barreledandsilver-mounted，andverydaintyandpretty。 Iwasnotabletospeakforemotion。Isilentlyhungoneofthemonmywatch-chain，andreturnedtheother。 Mycompanionincrimenowunrolledapostage-stampcontainingseveralcartridges，andgavemeoneofthem。 Iaskedifhemeanttosignifybythisthatourmenweretobeallowedbutoneshotapiece。HerepliedthattheFrenchcodepermittednomore。Ithenbeggedhimtogoandsuggestadistance，formymindwasgrowingweakandconfusedunderthestrainwhichhadbeenputuponit。 Henamedsixty-fiveyards。Inearlylostmypatience。 Isaid: \"Sixty-fiveyards，withtheseinstruments?Squirt-gunswouldbedeadlieratfifty。Consider，myfriend，youandIarebandedtogethertodestroylife，notmakeiteternal。\" Butwithallmypersuasions，allmyarguments，Iwasonlyabletogethimtoreducethedistancetothirty-fiveyards； andeventhisconcessionhemadewithreluctance，andsaidwithasigh，\"Iwashmyhandsofthisslaughter； onyourheadbeit。\" Therewasnothingformebuttogohometomyoldlion-heartandtellmyhumiliatingstory。WhenIentered，M。Gambettawaslayinghislastlockofhairuponthealtar。 Hesprangtowardme，exclaiming: \"Youhavemadethefatalarrangements——Iseeitinyoureye!\" \"Ihave。\" Hisfacepaledatrifle，andheleaneduponthetableforsupport。Hebreathedthickandheavilyforamomentortwo，sotumultuouswerehisfeelings；thenhehoarselywhispered: \"Theweapon，theweapon!Quick!whatistheweapon?\" \"This!\"andIdisplayedthatsilver-mountedthing。 Hecastbutoneglanceatit，thenswoonedponderouslytothefloor。 Whenhecameto，hesaidmournfully: \"TheunnaturalcalmtowhichIhavesubjectedmyselfhastolduponmynerves。Butawaywithweakness! IwillconfrontmyfatelikeamanandaFrenchman。\" Herosetohisfeet，andassumedanattitudewhichforsublimityhasneverbeenapproachedbyman，andhasseldombeensurpassedbystatues。Thenhesaid，inhisdeepbasstones: \"Behold，Iamcalm，Iamready；revealtomethedistance。\" \"Thirty-fiveyards。\"…… Icouldnotlifthimup，ofcourse；butIrolledhimover，andpouredwaterdownhisback。Hepresentlycameto，andsaid: \"Thirty-fiveyards——withoutarest?Butwhyask?Sincemurderwasthatman\'sintention，whyshouldhepalterwithsmalldetails?Butmarkyouonething:inmyfalltheworldshallseehowthechivalryofFrancemeetsdeath。\" Afteralongsilenceheasked: \"Wasnothingsaidaboutthatman\'sfamilystandingupwithhim，asanoffsettomybulk?Butnomatter； Iwouldnotstooptomakesuchasuggestion；ifheisnotnobleenoughtosuggestithimself，heiswelcometothisadvantage，whichnohonorablemanwouldtake。\" Henowsankintoasortofstuporofreflection，whichlastedsomeminutes；afterwhichhebrokesilencewith: \"Thehour——whatisthehourfixedforthecollision?\" \"Dawn，tomorrow。\" Heseemedgreatlysurprised，andimmediatelysaid: \"Insanity!Ineverheardofsuchathing。Nobodyisabroadatsuchanhour。\" \"ThatisthereasonInamedit。Doyoumeantosayyouwantanaudience?\" \"Itisnotimetobandywords。IamastonishedthatM。Fourtoushouldeverhaveagreedtosostrangeaninnovation。 Goatonceandrequirealaterhour。\" Irandownstairs，threwopenthefrontdoor，andalmostplungedintothearmsofM。Fourtou\'ssecond。Hesaid: \"Ihavethehonortosaythatmyprincipalstrenuouslyobjectstothehourchosen，andbegsyouwillconsenttochangeittohalfpastnine。\" \"Anycourtesy，sir，whichitisinourpowertoextendisattheserviceofyourexcellentprincipal。Weagreetotheproposedchangeoftime。\" \"Ibegyoutoacceptthethanksofmyclient。\"Thenheturnedtoapersonbehindhim，andsaid，\"Youhear，M。Noir，thehourisalteredtohalfpastnine。\"WhereuponM。Noirbowed，expressedhisthanks，andwentaway。 Myaccomplicecontinued: \"Ifagreeabletoyou，yourchiefsurgeonsandoursshallproceedtothefieldinthesamecarriageasiscustomary。\" \"Itisentirelyagreeabletome，andIamobligedtoyouformentioningthesurgeons，forIamafraidIshouldnothavethoughtofthem。HowmanyshallIwant?Isupposedtwoorthreewillbeenough?\" \"Twoisthecustomarynumberforeachparty。Ireferto\'chief\'surgeons；butconsideringtheexaltedpositionsoccupiedbyourclients，itwillbewellanddecorousthateachofusappointseveralconsultingsurgeons，fromamongthehighestintheprofession。Thesewillcomeintheirownprivatecarriages。Haveyouengagedahearse?\" \"Blessmystupidity，Ineverthoughtofit!\"Iwillattendtoitrightaway。Imustseemveryignoranttoyou； butyoumusttrytooverlookthat，becauseIhaveneverhadanyexperienceofsuchaswellduelasthisbefore。 IhavehadagooddealtodowithduelsonthePacificcoast，butIseenowthattheywerecrudeaffairs。Ahearse——sho! weusedtoleavetheelectedlyingaroundloose，andletanybodycordthemupandcartthemoffthatwantedto。 Haveyouanythingfurthertosuggest?\" \"Nothing，exceptthattheheadundertakersshallridetogether，asisusual。Thesubordinatesandmuteswillgoonfoot，asisalsousual。Iwillseeyouateighto\'clockinthemorning，andwewillthenarrangetheorderoftheprocession。Ihavethehonortobidyouagoodday。\" Ireturnedtomyclient，whosaid，\"Verywell； atwhathouristheengagementtobegin?\" \"Halfpastnine。\" \"Verygoodindeed。；Haveyousentthefacttothenewspapers?\" \"SIR!Ifafterourlongandintimatefriendshipyoucanforamomentdeemmecapableofsobaseatreachery——\" \"Tut，tut!Whatwordsarethese，mydearfriend?HaveI woundedyou?Ah，forgiveme；Iamoverloadingyouwithlabor。 Thereforegoonwiththeotherdetails，anddropthisonefromyourlist。Thebloody-mindedFourtouwillbesuretoattendtoit。OrImyself——yes，tomakecertain，Iwilldropanotetomyjournalisticfriend，M。Noir——\" \"Oh，cometothinkofit，youmaysaveyourselfthetrouble；