AS Louis was speaking, the servant announced the Baron Giordano
Martelli.
He was a young Corsican from Sartène. He had served in the 11th
Regiment, in which his gallantry had secured him promotion at the age
of twenty-three.
"Well," he said, after having bowed to me, "so things have come to a
crisis, and no doubt you will soon have a visit from the seconds of
Monsieur 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 the
present.
During the meal Louis questioned me closely concerning my journey in
Corsica, and I told him all the incidents with which the reader is
acquainted. He made me repeat, over and over again, all that his
mother and brother had said. He was quite touched, knowing the true
Corsican instincts of Lucien, with the care he had taken to
reconcile the Orlandi and the Colona.
The clock struck twelve.
"I do not wish to hurry you, gentlemen," said Louis, "but I think you
should return the visit of those gentlemen. It will not do to put
ourselves in the wrong."
"Oh, you may be quite easy on that point," I said, "we have plenty of
time before us."
"No matter," said the Baron Giordano, "Louis is right."
"Now," said I, "we must know whether you prefer to fight with sword or
pistol?"
"Ah," he replied, "it is all the same to me; I know as little about
one as the other. Besides, Monsieur de Chateau Renaud will save me all
trouble in choosing; he looks upon himself, no doubt, as the offended
party, and as such will retain the choice of weapons."
"However, the offence is doubtful, you only offered your arm, as you
were asked to do."
"My opinion is," said Louis, "that all discussion should tend towards
a peaceable arrangement of this matter. My tastes are not warlike, as
you know. Far from being a duellist, this is the first affair of the
kind I have had, and just for this very reason I wish to come well out
of it."
"That is very easy to say, my friend, but you have to play for your
life, and you leave to us and before your family the responsibility of
the result."
"Ah, as to that you may make your mind quite easy, I know my mother
and brother well enough; they would only ask whether I had conducted
myself as a brave man, and if you replied in the affirmative they
would 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 the
advice 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 learn
enough to defend yourself."
Louis smiled.
"Believe me," said he, "that what will happen tomorrow is already
written 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 who
had called on behalf of our adversary.
We, therefore, visited Monsieur René de Chateaugrand, who lived, as we
have said, at 12, Rue de la Paix.
Any other visitors were forbidden while we were calling, and we were
at once introduced to his presence.
We found Monsieur de Chateaugrand a perfect man of the world--he would
not for one moment give us the trouble of calling upon Monsieur de
Boissy--he sent his own servant for him.
While we were waiting his appearance, we spoke of everything but the
subject which had brought us thither, and in about ten minutes
Monsieur de Boissy arrived.
The two gentlemen did not advance any pretensions to the choice of
arms, the sword or pistol was equally familiar to M. de Chateau
Renaud. They were quite willing to leave the selection to M. de
Franchi, or to toss up. A louis was thrown into the air, face for
sword, reverse for pistols. The coin came down reverse.
So it was decided. The combat was arranged to take place next morning
at nine o'clock, in the wood of Vincennes, where the adversaries would
be placed at twenty paces, and after the third signal given by
clapping 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. de
Chateaugrand and de Boissy.