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wear it on your breast to…morrow。〃
〃Will it protect me from a sabre…thrust？〃 asked Philippe。
〃Yes；〃 replied the old lady。
〃Then I have no right to wear that accoutrement any more than if it
were a cuirass；〃 cried Agathe's son。
〃What does he mean？〃 said Madame Hochon。
〃He says it is not playing fair；〃 answered Hochon。
〃Then we will say no more about it；〃 said the old lady； 〃I shall pray
for you。〃
〃Well； madame； prayerand a good pointcan do no harm；〃 said
Philippe； making a thrust as if to pierce Monsieur Hochon's heart。
The old lady kissed the colonel on his forehead。 As she left the
house； she gave thirty francsall the money she possessedto
Benjamin； requesting him to sew the relic into the pocket of his
master's trousers。 Benjamin did so；not that he believed in the
virtue of the tooth； for he said his master had a much better talisman
than that against Gilet； but because his conscience constrained him to
fulfil a commission for which he had been so liberally paid。 Madame
Hochon went home full of confidence in Saint Solange。
At eight o'clock the next morning； December third； the weather being
cloudy； Max； accompanied by his seconds and the Pole； arrived on the
little meadow which then surrounded the apse of the church of the
Capuchins。 There he found Philippe and his seconds； with Benjamin；
waiting for him。 Potel and Mignonnet paced off twenty…four feet； at
each extremity； the two attendants drew a line on the earth with a
spade： the combatants were not allowed to retreat beyond that line； on
pain of being thought cowardly。 Each was to stand at his own line； and
advance as he pleased when the seconds gave the word。
〃Do we take off our coats？〃 said Philippe to his adversary coldly。
〃Of course；〃 answered Maxence； with the assumption of a bully。
They did so； the rosy tints of their skin appearing through the
cambric of their shirts。 Each； armed with a cavalry sabre selected of
equal weight； about three pounds； and equal length； three feet； placed
himself at his own line； the point of his weapon on the ground；
awaiting the signal。 Both were so calm that； in spite of the cold；
their muscles quivered no more than if they had been made of iron。
Goddet； the four seconds； and the two soldiers felt an involuntary
admiration。
〃They are a proud pair！〃
The exclamation came from Potel。
Just as the signal was given； Max caught sight of Fario's sinister
face looking at them through the hole which the Knights of Idleness
had made for the pigeons in the roof of the church。 Those eyes； which
sent forth streams of fire； hatred； and revenge； dazzled Max for a
moment。 The colonel went straight to his adversary； and put himself on
guard in a way that gained him an advantage。 Experts in the art of
killing； know that； of two antagonists； the ablest takes the 〃inside
of the pavement；〃to use an expression which gives the reader a
tangible idea of the effect of a good guard。 That pose； which is in
some degree observant； marks so plainly a duellist of the first rank
that a feeling of inferiority came into Max's soul； and produced the
same disarray of powers which demoralizes a gambler when； in presence
of a master or a lucky hand； he loses his self…possession and plays
less well than usual。
〃Ah！ the lascar！〃 thought Max； 〃he's an expert； I'm lost！〃
He attempted a 〃moulinet；〃 and twirled his sabre with the dexterity of
a single…stick。 He wanted to bewilder Philippe； and strike his weapon
so as to disarm him； but at the first encounter he felt that the
colonel's wrist was iron； with the flexibility of a steel string。
Maxence was then forced； unfortunate fellow； to think of another move；
while Philippe； whose eyes were darting gleams that were sharper than
the flash of their blades； parried every attack with the coolness of a
fencing…master wearing his plastron in an armory。
Between two men of the calibre of these combatants； there occurs a
phenomenon very like that which takes place among the lower classes；
during the terrible tussle called 〃the savante；〃 which is fought with
the feet； as the name implies。 Victory depends on a false movement； on
some error of the calculation； rapid as lightning； which must be made
and followed almost instinctively。 During a period of time as short to
the spectators as it seems long to the combatants； the contest lies in
observation； so keen as to absorb the powers of mind and body； and yet
concealed by preparatory feints whose slowness and apparent prudence
seem to show that the antagonists are not intending to fight。 This
moment； which is followed by a rapid and decisive struggle； is
terrible to a connoisseur。 At a bad parry from Max the colonel sent
the sabre spinning from his hand。
〃Pick it up；〃 he said； pausing； 〃I am not the man to kill a disarmed
enemy。〃
There was something atrocious in the grandeur of these words； they
seemed to show such consciousness of superiority that the onlookers
took them for a shrewd calculation。 In fact； when Max replaced himself
in position； he had lost his coolness； and was once more confronted
with his adversary's raised guard which defended the colonel's whole
person while it menaced his。 He resolved to redeem his shameful defeat
by a bold stroke。 He no longer guarded himself； but took his sabre in
both hands and rushed furiously on his antagonist； resolved to kill
him； if he had to lose his own life。 Philippe received a sabre…cut
which slashed open his forehead and a part of his face； but he cleft
Max's head obliquely by the terrible sweep of a 〃moulinet；〃 made to
break the force of the annihilating stroke Max aimed at him。 These two
savage blows ended the combat； at the ninth minute。 Fario came down to
gloat over the sight of his enemy in the convulsions of death； for the
muscles of a man of Maxence Gilet's vigor quiver horribly。 Philippe
was carried back to his uncle's house。
Thus perished a man destined to do great deeds had he lived his life
amid environments which were suited to him； a man treated by Nature as
a favorite child； for she gave him courage； self…possession； and the
political sagacity of a Cesar Borgia。 But education had not bestowed
upon him that nobility of conduct and ideas without which nothing
great is possible in any walk of life。 He was not regretted； because
of the perfidy with which his adversary； who was a worse man than he；
had contrived to bring him into disrepute。 His death put an end to the
exploits of the Order of Idleness； to the great satisfaction of the
town of Issoudun。 Philippe therefore had nothing to fear in
consequence of the duel； which seemed almost the result of divine
vengeance： its circumstances were related throughout that whole region
of country； with unanimous praise for the bravery of the two
combatants。
〃But they had better both have been killed；〃 remarked Monsieur
Mouilleron； 〃it would have been a good riddance for the Government。〃