the count, in which case I consent to consider the affair as terminated here.’
“As you may naturally believe, I rejected his proposition.
“‘As it must be so,’ replied he, ‘recommend your soul to God.’ We prepared accordingly.
“‘It is your first fire,’ he said to me.
“‘I yield it to you,’ answered I.
“He refused to fire first. I then drew the trigger, and caused the pistol to drop from his hand. He appeared surprised: but his astonishment was great indeed, when, after taking up another pistol, he found he had missed me. He pretended to have aimed at my heart; and had not even the possibility of an excuse; for he could not but acknowledge that no sensation of fear on my part had induced me to move, and baulk his aim.
“At his request I fired a second time; and again aimed at his pistol which he held in his left hand: and to his great astonishment it dropped also; but the ball had passed so near his hand, that it was a good deal bruised.
“His second fire having passed me, I told him I would not fire again; but that, as it was possible the extreme agitation of his mind had occasioned him to miss me twice, I proposed adjusting matters.
“Before he had time to refuse my offer, the
