The next day found us lighting our cigars as usual. Brilliant
conversation, you know, cannot be maintained without something to
smoke. Our talk this evening was to be about the methods of attack and
defence, which offer the most likely chances of success in an actual
duel.
I began at once:--"Yesterday," I said, "I was speaking of the whole
duty of seconds. I endeavoured to describe as clearly and fully as
possible, what they ought to do and provide for, and I showed why it
is essential that they should follow every stage and every incident of
the fight with the utmost keenness, for the onus of responsibility is
rightly held to rest on them.
"The preliminaries are now settled; the antagonists, armed with swords
of equal length, stand face to face. One of the seconds is stationed
between them. He addresses to each in turn the venerable formula:--'Are
you ready?--On guard.' Upon their assenting he steps back and gives the
fatal word:--'Go.'
"The fighting is about to begin, and the two men stand expectant,
neither stirring yet, each sheltering his life behind a few inches of
cold steel.