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man！ Don't move！ Have you a cigar？ Listen！ When you followed him；
I followed the other two。 My infernal curiosity！ Can you conceive a
greater folly？ How fast they walked； those two！ feeling their
cheeks； as if he had struck them both； you know； it was funny。 They
soon saw me； for their eyes were all round about their heads； they
had the mark of a glove on their cheeks。〃 The colour began to come
back； into Jules's face； he gesticulated with his cigar and became
more and more dramatic。 〃They waited for me。 'Tiens！' said one；
'this gentleman was with him。 My friend's name is M。 Le Baron de…。
The man who struck him was an odd…looking person； kindly inform me
whether it is possible for my friend to meet him？' Eh！〃 commented
Jules； 〃he was offensive！ Was it for me to give our dignity away？
'Perfectly； monsieur！' I answered。 'In that case；' he said； 'please
give me his name and ad dress。。。。 I could not remember his name； and
as for the address； I never knew it。。。！ I reflected。 'That；' I said；
'I am unable to do； for special reasons。' 'Aha！' he said； 'reasons
that will prevent our fighting him； I suppose？ 'On the contrary；' I
said。 'I will convey your request to him； I may mention that I have
heard he is the best swordsman and pistol…shot in Europe。 Good…
night！' I wished to give them something to dream of； you
understand。。。。 Patience； my dear！ Patience！ I was； coming to you；
but I thought I would let them sleep on itthere was plenty of time！
But yesterday morning I came into the Place； and there he was on the
bench； with a big dog。 I declare to you he blushed like a young
girl。 'Sir；' he said； 'I was hoping to meet you； last evening I made
a great disturbance。 I took an unpardonable liberty'and he put in
my hand an envelope。 My friend； what do you suppose it containeda
pair of gloves！ Senor Don Punctilioso； hein？ He was the devil； this
friend of yours； he fascinated me with his gentle eyes and his white
moustachettes； his humility； his flamespoor man。。。！ I told him I
had been asked to take him a challenge。 'If anything comes of it；' I
said； 'make use of me！' 'Is that so？' he said。 'I am most grateful
for your kind offer。 Let me seeit is so long since I fought a
duel。 The sooner it's over the better。 Could you arrange to…morrow
morning？ Weapons？ Yes； let them choose。' You see； my friend； there
was no hanging back here； nous voila en train。〃
Jules took out his watch。 〃I have sixteen minutes。 It is lucky for
you that you were away yesterday； or you would be in my shoes now。 I
fixed the place； right hand of the road to Roquebrune； just by the
railway cutting； and the timefive…thirty of the morning。 It was
arranged that I should call for him。 Disgusting hour； I have not
been up so early since I fought Jacques Tirbaut in '85。 At five
o'clock I found him ready and drinking tea with rum in itsingular
man！ he made me have some too； brrr！ He was shaved； and dressed in
that old frock…coat。 His great dog jumped into the carriage； but he
bade her get out； took her paws on his shoulders； and whispered in
her ear some Italian words； a charm； hein！ and back she went； the
tail between the legs。 We drove slowly； so as not to shake his arm。
He was more gay than I。 All the way he talked to me of you： how kind
you were！ how good you had been to him！ 'You do not speak of
yourself！' I said。 'Have you no friends； nothing to say？ Sometimes
an accident will happen！' 'Oh！' he answered； 'there is no danger；
but if by any chancewell； there is a letter in my pocket。' 'And if
you should kill him？' I said。 'But I shall not；' he answered slyly：
'do you think I am going to fire at him？ No； no； he is too young。'
'But；' I said； 'I 'I am not going to stand that！' 'Yes；' he
replied； 'I owe him a shot； but there is no dangernot the least
danger。' We had arrived； already they were there。 Ah bah！ You know
the preliminaries； the politenessthis duelling； you know； it is
absurd； after all。 We placed them at twenty paces。 It is not a bad
place。 There are pine…trees round； and rocks； at that hour it was
cool and grey as a church。 I handed him the pistol。 How can I
describe him to you； standing there； smoothing the barrel with his
fingers！ 'What a beautiful thing a good pistol！' he said。 'Only a
fool or a madman throws away his life；' I said。 'Certainly；' he
replied； 'certainly； but there is no danger；' and he regarded me；
raising his moustachette。
〃There they stood then； back to back； with the mouths of their
pistols to the sky。 ' Un！' I cried； 'deux！ tirez！' They turned； I
saw the smoke of his shot go straight up like a prayer； his pistol
dropped。 I ran to him。 He looked surprised； put out his hand； and
fell into my arms。 He was dead。 Those fools came running up。 'What
is it？' cried one。 I made him a bow。 'As you see；' I said； 'you
have made a pretty shot。 My friend fired in the air。 Messieurs； you
had better breakfast in Italy。' We carried him to the carriage； and
covered him with a rug； the others drove for the frontier。 I brought
him to his room。 Here is his letter。〃 Jules stopped； tears were
running down his face。 〃He is dead； I have closed his eyes。 Look
here； you know； we are all of us cadsit is the rule； but this
this； perhaps； was the exception。〃 And without another word he
rushed away。。。。
Outside the old fellow's lodging a dismounted cocher was standing
disconsolate in the sun。 〃How was I to know they were going to fight
a duel？〃 he burst out on seeing me。 〃He had white hairI call you
to witness he had white hair。 This is bad for me： they will ravish
my licence。 Aha！ you will seethis is bad for me！〃 I gave him the
slip and found my way upstairs。 The old fellow was alone； lying on
the bed； his feet covered with a rug as if he might feel cold； his
eyes were closed； but in this sleep of death； he still had that air
of faint surprise。 At full length； watching the bed intently； Freda
lay； as she lay nightly when he was really asleep。 The shutters were
half open； the room still smelt slightly of rum。 I stood for a long
time looking at the face： the little white fans of moustache brushed
upwards even in death； the hollows in his cheeks； the quiet of his
figure； he was like some old knight。。。。 The dog broke the spell。
She sat up； and resting her paws on the bed； licked his face。 I went
downstairsI couldn't bear to hear her howl。 This was his letter to
me； written in a pointed handwriting：
〃MY DEAR SIR；Should you read this； I shall be gone。 I am ashamed
to trouble youa man should surely manage so as not to give trouble；
and yet I believe you will not consider me importunate。 If； then；
you will pick up the pieces of an old fellow； I ask you to have my
sword； the letter enclosed in this； and the photograph that stands on
the stove buried with me。 My will and the acknowledgments of my
property are between the leaves of the Byron in my tin chest； they
should