“Whenever you like. I'm quite ready.”
The German said:
“Here is the town of Strasbourg. I'll get two officers to be my seconds,
and there will be time before the train leaves the station.”
M. Dubuis, who was puffing as hard as the engine, said to the
Englishmen:
“Will you be my seconds?” They both answered together:
“Oh, yes!”
And the train stopped.
In a minute the Prussian had found two comrades, who brought pistols,
and they made their way toward the ramparts.
The Englishmen were continually looking at their watches, shuffling
their feet and hurrying on with the preparations, uneasy lest they
should be too late for the train.