his parents or home he never spoke a word. His soldiers he treated roughly and without a touch of feeling. He had never liked Šetina, probably because of the popularity the latter enjoyed, due to the charm of his personality.
“Šetina could not retract his words—that was certain; he could not lower his dignity to that extent. We tried to appease Martini, we explained to him in the mildest manner—in vain.
“‘Take back—take back everything,’ he raged.
“Šetina stood there pale and spoke no word. It was as if a horrible foreboding had taken possession of his soul. At intervals his fingers dug into his palms spasmodically, and his lips quivered.
“We pleaded with Martini. He only sneered maliciously.
“Here and there a few threats were heard.
“Martini tossed his head, looked around the casino and said, bitingly: ‘Gentlemen, has any one else anything against me? Just be kind enough to come forward. We’ll settle it all at once.’
“A duel was unavoidable.
“I went out with Šetina into the dark night. To the hut where he lived it was only a few hundred feet.
“The sky was overclouded. The snow cast into this darkness a sort of grayish obscurity.
“Šetina did not speak. He was whistling indistinctly some sort of march in quick tempo. We reached his house. He extended his hand to me.
