other over the head with pork
sausages like Bismark and Virchow!” He was alluding to the Code
Duello that allowed men to choose their own weapons, and his
sarcastic tone drew some sniggers.
“Duelling with lanterns is
permitted,” argued General de Merville, leaping up from his perch.
“When I was a lad fencing manuals included lessons with lanterns.
They were permitted for parrying blows and blinding an opponent.
The tradition of placing the left arm behind the back stems from
holding the lantern to the rear. We can set up two lanterns on the
ground at the ‘points’, meaning where the men stand and turn.”
“What about the field of
honour?” asked Damery, who was starting to have second thoughts.
“The cricket pitch has been turned into a carriage park.”
“We don’t need much space,”
barked General de Merville, who was already at the door with one
hand on the knob. “Twenty paces ought to do it; the greater the
grievance the shorter the number of paces.” He looked from Nash to
Moriarty. “Will twenty paces suit?”
“Ten,” declared Major Nash.
Moriarty fought valiantly to
suppress his delight. “Ten suits me.”
“What about seconds?” asked
Damery, who wanted everything to be in accord with the Code
Duello.
“We don’t need seconds,”
hectored General de Merville. “These two men don’t need someone
else to measure the ground for them. They can count to ten. They
don’t need someone to hold their hand. And they don’t expect
someone else to step in for them in case they don’t understand the
mechanics of the weapon. Let’s get this over and done with by
midnight. Then we can enjoy the fireworks. I’ll organize for two
lanterns from Captain Thompson and I’ll let him know there will be
some bullets fired in the trees by the lake so that there is no
panic. I’ll tell him we are doing a spot of night-shooting. We
don’t want to encourage any sightseers.”
“I’ll get the pistols,” offered
the Russian eagerly. “Each one comes in its own velvet-lined,
mahogany case with six silver cartridges. They are fairly heavy. Mr
Blague would you care to carry one and I will carry the other?
We’ll meet up by the lake.”
General de Merville rushed
away, followed by Mr Blague and Prince Sergei. Sir Damery and the
two duellists remained.
“Not too late to pull out,”
said Damery hopefully, but even as he said it he knew it was
pointless. This was not about honour or satisfaction. This
was not about first blood where the first wound no matter
how minor ended the duel. This was about a fight to the finish.
What was the term? A l’outrance?
According to the Code Duello
each man would fire one shot. If no one was hit (in this case
unlikely) then the challenger (presumably Nash) could declare
satisfaction and the duel would end without fatality.
If the challenger was not
satisfied, a second round would be fired. In the event of another
miss the same thing would occur and a third round would take
place.
It was unprecedented to have
more than three rounds. It was considered uncivilized and patently
ridiculous. It reflected badly on the duellists. To intentionally
miss was worse. It was the equivalent of a dishonourable discharge.
No man would ever live it down.
“I suggest we have a quick
brandy in the smoking room and then head down to the lake. No one
is to mention to any other man he meets, or woman, that a duel is
about to take place. Is that clear?”
“Quite clear,” said Nash.
“Understood,” said
Moriarty.
Damery paused at the door and
held out his hand. “I’ll hold onto the other weapons for the time
being, Major Nash.”
The Countess was dancing with
the Prince of Wales when the trio of men passed through the foyer.
She presumed Colonel Moriarty was under arrest and being escorted
to the nearest cell. Once again she felt immensely sorry for him
but if any man was able to sabotage himself, it was the
Irishman.
As the men were crossing the
lawn Captain Thompson
sausages like Bismark and Virchow!” He was alluding to the Code
Duello that allowed men to choose their own weapons, and his
sarcastic tone drew some sniggers.
“Duelling with lanterns is
permitted,” argued General de Merville, leaping up from his perch.
“When I was a lad fencing manuals included lessons with lanterns.
They were permitted for parrying blows and blinding an opponent.
The tradition of placing the left arm behind the back stems from
holding the lantern to the rear. We can set up two lanterns on the
ground at the ‘points’, meaning where the men stand and turn.”
“What about the field of
honour?” asked Damery, who was starting to have second thoughts.
“The cricket pitch has been turned into a carriage park.”
“We don’t need much space,”
barked General de Merville, who was already at the door with one
hand on the knob. “Twenty paces ought to do it; the greater the
grievance the shorter the number of paces.” He looked from Nash to
Moriarty. “Will twenty paces suit?”
“Ten,” declared Major Nash.
Moriarty fought valiantly to
suppress his delight. “Ten suits me.”
“What about seconds?” asked
Damery, who wanted everything to be in accord with the Code
Duello.
“We don’t need seconds,”
hectored General de Merville. “These two men don’t need someone
else to measure the ground for them. They can count to ten. They
don’t need someone to hold their hand. And they don’t expect
someone else to step in for them in case they don’t understand the
mechanics of the weapon. Let’s get this over and done with by
midnight. Then we can enjoy the fireworks. I’ll organize for two
lanterns from Captain Thompson and I’ll let him know there will be
some bullets fired in the trees by the lake so that there is no
panic. I’ll tell him we are doing a spot of night-shooting. We
don’t want to encourage any sightseers.”
“I’ll get the pistols,” offered
the Russian eagerly. “Each one comes in its own velvet-lined,
mahogany case with six silver cartridges. They are fairly heavy. Mr
Blague would you care to carry one and I will carry the other?
We’ll meet up by the lake.”
General de Merville rushed
away, followed by Mr Blague and Prince Sergei. Sir Damery and the
two duellists remained.
“Not too late to pull out,”
said Damery hopefully, but even as he said it he knew it was
pointless. This was not about honour or satisfaction. This
was not about first blood where the first wound no matter
how minor ended the duel. This was about a fight to the finish.
What was the term? A l’outrance?
According to the Code Duello
each man would fire one shot. If no one was hit (in this case
unlikely) then the challenger (presumably Nash) could declare
satisfaction and the duel would end without fatality.
If the challenger was not
satisfied, a second round would be fired. In the event of another
miss the same thing would occur and a third round would take
place.
It was unprecedented to have
more than three rounds. It was considered uncivilized and patently
ridiculous. It reflected badly on the duellists. To intentionally
miss was worse. It was the equivalent of a dishonourable discharge.
No man would ever live it down.
“I suggest we have a quick
brandy in the smoking room and then head down to the lake. No one
is to mention to any other man he meets, or woman, that a duel is
about to take place. Is that clear?”
“Quite clear,” said Nash.
“Understood,” said
Moriarty.
Damery paused at the door and
held out his hand. “I’ll hold onto the other weapons for the time
being, Major Nash.”
The Countess was dancing with
the Prince of Wales when the trio of men passed through the foyer.
She presumed Colonel Moriarty was under arrest and being escorted
to the nearest cell. Once again she felt immensely sorry for him
but if any man was able to sabotage himself, it was the
Irishman.
As the men were crossing the
lawn Captain Thompson
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