CHAPTER XV.

by Alexandre Dumas

　　AS Louis was speaking, the servant announced the Baron GiordanoMartelli.He was a young Corsican from Sartène. He had served in the 11thRegiment, in which his gallantry had secured him promotion at the ageof twenty-three."Well," he said, after having bowed to me, "so things have come to acrisis, and no doubt you will soon have a visit from the seconds ofMonsieur de Chateau Renaud.""They have been here already.""I suppose they have left their names and addresses?""Here are their cards.""Good.""Well, your servant has just told me that breakfast is waiting.Suppose we sit down, and after breakfast we can return their visit."We entered the _salle à manger,_ and put aside all business for thepresent.During the meal Louis questioned me closely concerning my journey inCorsica, and I told him all the incidents with which the reader isacquainted. He made me repeat, over and over again, all that hismother and brother had said. He was quite touched, knowing the trueCorsican instincts of Lucien, with the care he had to taken toreconcile the Orlandi and the Colona.The clock struck twelve."I do not wish to hurry you, gentlemen," said Louis, "but I think youshould return the visit of those gentlemen. It will not do to putourselves in the wrong.""Oh, you may be quite easy on that point," I said, "we have plenty oftime before us.""No matter," said the Baron Giordano, "Louis is right.""Now," said I, "we must know whether you prefer to fight with sword orpistol?""Ah," he replied, "it is all the same to me; I know as little aboutone as the other. Besides, Monsieur de Chateau Renaud will save me alltrouble in choosing; he looks upon himself, no doubt, as the offendedparty, and as such will retain the choice of weapons.""However, the offence is doubtful, you only offered your arm, as youwere asked to do.""My opinion is," said Louis, "that all discussion should tend towardsa peaceable arrangement of this matter. My tastes are not warlike, asyou know. Far from being a duellist, this is the first affair of thekind I have had, and just for this very reason I wish to come well outof it.""That is very easy to say, my friend, but you have to play for yourlife, and you leave to us and before your family the responsibility ofthe result.""Ah, as to that you may make your mind quite easy, I know my motherand brother well enough; they would only ask whether I had conductedmyself as a brave man, and if you replied in the affirmative theywould be satisfied.""But, hang it, we must know which arm you prefer.""Well, if they propose pistols, accept them at once.""That is my advice, also," said the Baron."Very well, then, the pistol be it," I replied, "since that is theadvice of both of you, but the pistol is a horrible weapon.""Have I time to learn to fence between this and to-morrow?""No, unless, perhaps, you studied Grissier, and then you might learnenough to defend yourself."Louis smiled."Believe me," said he, "that what will happen tomorrow is alreadywritten on high, and whatever we may do we cannot alter that."We then shook hands with him and went downstairs.Our first visit was naturally to the nearer of the two gentlemen whohad called on behalf of our adversary.We, therefore, visited Monsieur René de Chateaugrand, who lived, as wehave said, at 12, Rue de la Paix.Any other visitors were forbidden while we were calling, and we wereat once introduced to his presence.We found Monsieur de Chateaugrand a perfect man of the world--he wouldnot for one moment give us the trouble of calling upon Monsieur deBoissy--he sent his own servant for him.While we were waiting his appearance, we spoke of everything but thesubject which had brought us thither, and in about ten minutesMonsieur de Boissy arrived.The two gentlemen did not advance any pretensions to the choice ofarms, the sword or pistol was equally familiar to M. de ChateauRenaud. They were quite willing to leave the selection to M. deFranchi, or to toss up. A louis was thrown into the air, face forsword, reverse for pistols. The coin came down reverse.So it was decided. The combat was arranged to take place next morningat nine o'clock, in the wood of Vincennes, where the adversaries wouldbe placed at twenty paces, and after the third signal given byclapping the hands they were to fire.We returned to convey this decision to Louis de Franchi.On my return home the same evening, I found the cards of MM. deChateaugrand and de Boissy.