"Well,  Francois,"  said  the  same  voice
whose  accents  were  so  familiar  to  me  with-
out my  being  able  to  say  why — "well,
Francois,  you  have  not  told  us  how  it  hap-
pened."

"Easily  enough,''  said  another;  "he
broke  my  blade  in  his  back,  and  gave  point
afterward  and  ran  me  through  the  chest."
It  was  the  '  Maitre  d'armes '  of  the  Fourth,
my  old  antagonist,  who  said  this,  and  I
drew  near  to  hear  the  remainder.  "  You
could  not  call  the  thing  unfair,'"  continued
he,  "but,  after  all,  no  one  ever  heard  of
such  a  'passe.' "

"I  could  have  told  you  of  it,  though,"
rejoined  the  other ;  "  for  I  remember  once,
in  the  fencing  school  at  the  Polytechnique,
I  saw  him  catch  his  antagonist's  blade  in
his  sleeve,  and  when  he  had  it  secure,  snap
it  across,  and  then  thrust  home  with  his
own.  ParUeu,  he  lost  a  coat  by  it,  and  I
believe,  at  the  time,  poor  fellow,  he  could
rll  spare  it."

This  story,  which  was  told  of  myself,  was
an  incident  which  occurred  in  a  school
duel,  and  was  only  known  to  two  or  three
others ;  and  again  was  I  puzzled  to  think
which  of  my  former  companions  the'speak-
er  could  be.  •  My  curiosity  was  now  strong-
er than  aught  else,  and  so,  affecting  to  seek
a  light  for  my  cigar,  I  approached  the  blaze.
"Hallo,  comrade  !  a  cup  of  wine  with
you,"  cried  out  a  voice  from  within  ;  "  Mel-
niker  is  no  bad  drinking — "

"  When  Chambertin  can't  be  had,"  said
another,  handing  me  a  goblet  of  red  wine.
