IN DUELLING DAYS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 22, Issue 67, 29 August 1911, Page 5

IN DUELLING DAYS.

A certain English gentleman who was a regular frequenter of Drury Lane Theatre, in the days of Lord Byron’s committee, and who always stood quietly on the hearthrug there with his back to the fire, was in his usual place one night when a narrative was related by another gentleman newly returned from the Continent, of a barrier duel that had taken place in Paris. A young Englishman—a mere boy—had been despoiled in a gaminghouse in the Palais Royal, had charged a certain gaming count with cheating him, had gone out with the count, had wasted his fire, and had been slain' by the count under the frightful circumstances of the count’s walking up to him, and laying his hand on his heart, saying, “You are a brave fellow, have you a mother 7” and on his replying in the affirmative remarking coolly, “ I am sorry for her,” and blowing his victim’s brains out.

The gentleman on the hearthrug paused in taking a pinch o£ snuff to hear this story, and observed with, great placidity, “ I am afraid I must kill that rascal.” A few nights .elapsed during which the green room hearthrug was without him, and then he reappeared precisely as before, and only incidentally mentioned in the course of the evening, “ Gentlemen —I killed that rascal I"

He had gone over to Paris on purpose, had tracked the count to the same gaming-house, had thrown a glass of wine in his face in the presence of all the company assembled there, had told him that he had come to avenge his young compatriot—and had done it by putting the count out of'the world and coming back to the hearthrug as il nothing bad happened.