Page:Prose Specimens for Translation into German (1862).djvu/236

 We proceeded to the neighbouring park. Favoured by the full moon the duel commenced, and I shot the baron dead.—“But,” began one of the assembly, “where did you get the fire-arms from all at once ?”

“No interruption now, if I may beg of you !” said the Major rather angrily. Let me speak out ! In the end everything will be cleared up .—I therefore shot, as I have already said, the baron Zitzerling dead. That circumstance compelled me so much the more not only speedily to leave Weimar, but Saxony, in as much as the Zitzerlings are, as is well known, a very ancient family.

“An ancient family?” some one asked.

“Yes indeed !—But if I am to finish, I decline all interruptions once for all , as the conclusion will surely completely fill up every gap in the story.”

Surprised at this expression evidently bordering on incivility, the company looked at each other; yet the major did not seem to notice anything of it, and henceforth addressed himself solely to the baron de Hinz with his narrative.

“I hastened back to Jena, packed up in the greatest hurry, and travelled with post horses to the Aus-