Theophilus the poet observed, that it was no wonder he wrote so badly. The "roi vert-galant" became sensible as he grew older of the evils entailed by countenancing such abominable practices, and he instituted a court of honour, issuing at the same time the most severe edicts against its infringement. But the practice still continued so much in vogue that no less than seven thousand letters of pardon had to be sent out in the space of nineteen years. Henri is declared to have been most irate with Sully himself for having been present at a duel. But his anger is said to have been assumed, or rather to have been a kind of revenge taken against his austere Mentor.

Louis XIII. reaped the fruits of Henri's forbearance, or rather of his connivance at duels. The rage for such was at that period as rampant as ever, and the extent to which it was carried may be best judged of by reference to Colombière's "Théâtre d'Honneur," and Jean de la Taille's "Discours sur les Duels." Four gentlemen, De Rouillac, Du Marais, De Saint-Vincent, and Sainte-Maure, quarrelled about a lady. SainteMaure killed Saint-Vincent, and a few seconds afterwards was killed by Rouillac, who had previously put Du Marais hors de combat. Two Provençaux, inspired by deadly hatred, shut themselves up in a cabinet and effected mutual destruction, armed only with knives. Viscount d'Allemagne and the Sieur de la Roque fought with daggers, holding one another by the left hand, for a mere question of precedence.

The Chevalier de Guise met the Baron de Luz, a very old man, in the Rue Saint-Honoré. The chevalier was on horseback, the baron on foot. The former got down and bade the baron draw, which he had no sooner done than he ran him through the body, and he fell dead into a shoemaker's shop. The son sent a challenge to Guise to revenge his father's death. The combat took place at Picpus, on horseback, two seconds being engaged at the same time. The young baron was slain, and both the seconds were severely wounded. This was in 1613, and the same year the king issued an edict against the practice. The author of the "Vrai et Ancien Usage des Duels" expressed the utmost indignation at these legislative enactments. The king, however, was strengthened by the counsels of his sister the Queen of England, and of his minister Richelieu, and he persisted in his attempt to put down the abomination.

Praslin was the first to disobey the edicts of his sovereign, and he was, in consequence, deprived of his functions as king's lieutenant in Champagne, and banished the court. The Duke of Halluin and the Sieur de Cressiers fell next under the royal disapprobation. But the greatest severity was manifested in the instance of François de Montmorency, Count of Bouteville, a professed duellist. If any one said in his presence, "Such a one is a brave man," he would go at once to the person indicated and say, "Sir, they tell me you are a brave man. I wish to see it. What arms do you prefer?" Bouteville and other spadassins of the time had long been the objects of particular edicts. In 1624, he had taken Count de Pont-Gibaut from his devotions to give him combat. In 1625 he laid the Marquis de Portes, among others, low. In 1626 he killed Count de Thorigny, and in 1627 he engaged Baron de la Frette at Saint-Germain. At length, having engaged in a terrible combat with the Marquis de Beauvron, who wished to revenge the death of his rela

tive, Count de Thorigny, each accompanied by two seconds, one of whom, Bussy d'Amboise, was killed on the spot-and that in direct opposition to the king's wishes-the last penalty of the law was put in force, and the man who had fought twenty duels, had braved the monarch and the law at the same time, and had cut down the gibbet to which he had once before been condemned in default, expiated his crimes on the scaffold. There have not been wanting apologists for his conduct, and many still consider him as a political victim-a Montmorency. The next that suffered the extreme penalty of the law was the Prince de Chalais, the favourite of Gaston d'Orléans and of the Duchesse de Chevreuse, but whom Richelieu had executed at Nantes for his duellist propensities.

La Faye, engaged in a pistol duel on horseback, was shot through the body and carried off by his horse, whereupon his antagonist cried after him that he was running away. Dying shortly afterwards, his last regret was that he should have been charged with flight. "It was being rather delicate," says Tallemant des Réaux, who relates the anecdote. Baron d'Aspremont de Champagne fought three duels in a day. He killed one man in the morning, and was himself slightly wounded in the thigh. At dinner, his wound inconveniencing him, he could not eat, so he amused himself by throwing pellets of bread at the company. One of them took it up as an offence, went out to fight, and was wounded in the arm; and, lastly, the same day he had to act as second to the captain of guards of the Duke of Enghien. The Chevalier d'Andrieux was fighting one day, when his antagonist saying to him, "Chevalier, you will be the tenth that I have slain," D'Andrieux replied, "You will make the seventy-second!" And he, in fact, slew his seventy-second man! This man-slayer is said to have made his victims deny their God on promise of life, and then to have cut their throats, so, as he said, that he might send their souls and their bodies to perdition at the same time! And yet duelling has been called a chivalrous practice.

Duels were fought in these "good old times" for the veriest trifles. One Conac, being at a ball, was accidentally pushed behind by Count de Montrevel. He retorted by a push in the same direction; whereupon the count administered a slap.

"Pour une moindre injure on passe l'Achéron,"

chanted Conac, as he challenged Montrevel; but it was he that was ferried across the Styx, and not his antagonist. One great duellist, Count de Carnez, met with a most disgraceful death. He was slain from behind. Fighting with De Birague with daggers, he found himself getting the worst of it, when he turned to pick up a sword. Birague caught him in the back and killed him on the spot. Another duellist, being much the stronger of the two, to show his contempt of his antagonist, took him up bodily and deposited him on a fire, and held him down there with his foot till he was half roasted, notwithstanding his piteous cries. The scene was often more noisy than tragical when two bullies were concerned. Fontenay, surnamed Coup d'Epée, from a tremendous cut given to a sergeant who was leading him away to prison, met another hamstringer (coupe-jarret), as such gentry were often designated ever after the "coup de Jarnac," on the bridge of Notre-Dame. Neither would

give way.

"I am Fontenay Coup d'Epée," said the one, in his gruffest tones, and with an aspect intended to be very imposing.

"And I am Lachapelle Coup de Canon," replied the other, roaring like a four-pounder.

Upon this each drew his sword, but they allowed themselves to be separated and pacified without drawing blood.

Incidents of a similar character were not wanting among the victims of a stupid practice, but of a different social position, at the same epoch. Regnier, the poet and satirist, challenged President Maynard. The worthy president is reported to have been still in bed when his seconds He was so upset by the announcement that he took came to fetch him. three hours to dress himself. The interval was turned to account to obtain the interference of Count Clermont-Lodère. The latter, to enjoy the fun, hid himself, and the president, once in the field, had exhausted every plausible means of delay before his friend was induced to make his appearance and put a stop to the intended combat. Malherbe, on the contrary, was of a naturally bellicose disposition, and at seventy-three of years age was most anxious to obtain satisfaction for the murder of his son by Ludovic de Piles. This Ludovic de Piles, whom his friends wisely restrained the poet from meeting on the field, was a tremendous duellist. Being at Valence one night, he inquired what there was to eat. "Nothing but eggs and cheese," was the reply. "But there is meat at "Well, tell them that a the broach ?" "That is for four officers." traveller requests hospitality, and will sup with them." The offer was declined, and De Piles went supperless to bed. Unfortunately, a narrow partition separated him from the officers, whom he heard joking at night at his expense. The next morning he presented himself before them. you last night refused me your hospitality. "Gentlemen," he said, " You had a perfect right to do as you thought proper, but I also overheard you laughing at me; that was adding insult to injury, and I come to demand satisfaction. The officers could not refuse, and he killed them all four, one after another! Mazarin was at that time in power. Piles was his satellite, and the affair was hushed up.

De

The

Nor were all duellists bullies. There was Gombauld, who was considered to be the most refined, the most polite, the most ceremonious and modest man of his day, and who yet could say to a man, "Pass my door, and you will find me there with my sword." He is known to have fought two duels on the same day, and sometimes in the open street. "How is it that a man who is terrified at a single public used to say, splash drives another into the mud without any apprehensions of dirtying himself?" Others, again, of whom Cyrano de Bergerac might be quoted as an example, were never known to originate a quarrel, yet were always ready to vindicate their honour if insulted. This Cyrano was a terrible swordsman. He had killed ten men, and his nose, which was unusually developed, was quite a curiosity from the number of cuts it had received. The greatest feat recorded of him was when the satirist Linière sought refuge at his house. Information came that a troop of armed men were in waiting at the Porte de Nesle, which Linière must perforce pass to reach the Faubourg Saint-Germain. "Take a lantern," said Cyrano, quietly," and I will see you home." They went forth, accompanied, however, by other friends, who had been supping with their intrepid

Amphitryon. Arrived at the Porte de Nesle, Cyrano threw himself at once into the ambuscade, killed two, wounded seven, and put the remainder to flight.

Even the Church had, in olden times, its belligerent spirits. Cardinal de Retz, when young, offered his services as second to several accomplished duellists, and he relates himself several adventures, some of which were incurred in the cause of ladies too. But of all the literary combatants of this epoch, De Voiture was transcendent. He fought by daylight, by moonlight, and by torchlight-sometimes four times in a day; at least, according to his own poetical versions of the matter. His enemies said that he hung up his wig upon a neighbouring tree when about to engage. The poets of the day were not, however, all fire and sword-eaters. Theophile de Vian, challenged for an epigram, replied: "The chances are not equal: you are tall, I am little; you are brave, I am a coward; add to this, you wish to kill me; well, I will consider myself as defunct." La Fontaine, the fabulist, was not so wise. Being told by a friend that a certain Poignan visited his house, not for his sake, but that of his wife, he challenged the latter, an old captain of dragoons, who at the onset left the poet with his sword tilted to a distance of some yards. The affair finished with a breakfast-a rare event in those times, but the rule under similar circumstances in the present. But this is not all. In the palmy days of duelling, ladies were also known to take a part in the popular amusement. There was one Madame de Château-Gay, who rode in great boots with pistols and sword, and who challenged a certain M. de Codières to mortal combat, but being defeated, her anger is said to have changed to love. She finished badly, however; for, having attacked three gentlemen when hunting in a forest, they so far forgot their gallantry as to put her to death! The sister of this lady was a still more determined virago, but she fought chiefly with her husbands, of whom she had several. Madame de Saint-Balmont was another of the same class. She dressed like a man, and looked after her own estates. She fought the Germans under Erlach, made three prisoners when attempting to take her horses from a plough, escaladed a castle by herself, and threw herself into a room where were seventeen men, and disarmed them all! What must have been the annoyance of such a heroine when, having challenged a renowned duellist to mortal combat, the latter appeared on the scene mounted upon a wretched donkey. "Madame," he said, 66 we are not upon equal terms-your steed is superb-we must fight on foot." The lady dismounted, whereupon her antagonist jumped on her horse and rode off, leaving the discomfited lady to find her way home on the donkey. We shall return to these anecdotes as applied to more modern times. The best proofs of the folly of duelling are contained in the history of the practice.

YOUR LIFE IN YOUR HAND.

A TALE OF THE INDIAN MUTINY.

IN 1857, that year ever memorable in the annals of India, having been recently appointed adjutant of one of the irregular infantry regiments in a few marches from Lucknow. Bengal, I was stationed at

2

As is usual in such corps, the European commissioned officers consisted of three, Captain T., commandant, Captain W., second in command, and your humble servant, Lieutenant Clinton Coolaneasy. Our commanding officer, Captain T., was, at the time I write, laid up with fever, and absent at a hill station; so that Jack W. and myself, with a smart sergeantmajor and a worthy but nervous quartermaster ditto, shared the drill and responsibilities of the regiment between us.

It was in April, then, when the fierce rays of a morning sun, that even at the early hour of six was a precursor of the blistering heat that commences at this period of the Indian year, I was on the parade-ground, superintending the recruit instruction in target practice, when our sergeant-major reported to me that the recruits, consisting principally of men of the Brahmin caste, with some few Mussulmans amongst them, had refused to receive the ball-cartridge about to be issued to them.

After some

Now, shortly previous to this, a rumour of the Barrackpore disturbances on what was termed "the cartridge question" had reached us, and been discussed at the different stations; still we were hardly prepared for the ugly contingency of finding that a spirit of mutiny, originating, apparently, at a distance of several hundred miles, had already reached our own door. Mounting my horse, however, I galloped up to where the recruits were formed, and demanded why they did not commence firing. hesitation, one of their number said that their comrades in the regiment had told them the cartridges were "unclean," and that they would lose caste if they used them. I ordered them to instantly receive the cartridges, and if they had any representation to make afterwards, it would be received, and the practice went on. I saw at a glance how things stood, and that the recruits were merely the clouds that preceded the coming storm; and so it proved.

On the following morning, upon the issue of ball-cartridge to the regiment, the quartermaster-sergeant, a somewhat nervous individual, hastily approached, and, in a trembling voice, intimated that the men, one and all, had refused the cartridge; and, on my riding up to them, they posiI now thought it tively declined handling the cartridges as "unclean." time to lay the matter before Captain W., the acting commandant, who, sending for the native officers, directed them to issue the cartridges to their respective companies. This also failed, and our appeal to the men was received in dogged silence. The parade was then dismissed, and a report sent off at once to Captain T., the commandant, at the neighbouring hill sanitarium, who hastened down, paraded the men, and, on a threat of instantly reporting the regiment to the brigadiers as mutinous, the men at last consented to receive the obnoxious cartridge. Captain T., who was suffering severely from illness, returned to the hills, prepara