Page:The Writings of Prosper Merimee-Volume 5.djvu/215



"We fired athad a pistol duel with [sic] each other."—.

"I vowed to kill him, according to the code of duelling, and I still have my shot to fire.—One night when on guard

E were in camp in the village of ———. Everyone knows the life of an officer of the line: in the morning drill and horseback exercise; then comes dinner with the colonel of the regiment, or else at the Jewish restaurant; and at night drinks and cards. At ———, there were no entertainments of any kind, for no one had a marriageable daughter to bring out. We spent our time in each other's quarters, and at our evening gatherings there were uniforms only.

However, there was one man in our set who was not a soldier. He must have been about thirty-five and consequently we looked upon him as quite old. His experience had great weight with us, and besides his reserve, his grand air and sarcastic manner made a deep impression