temper and exclaimed that it was murder. I said that was my desire;
that they were hard to please; and that bowie-knives exhausted the
list of weapons I should accept.

"The colonel said further that, as I seemed to be ignorant of the
customs of civilized countries, it appeared proper to let me know that
the seconds were left to settle these preliminaries, and he supposed
that I was making a jest of a grave situation.

"When I replied that he was as lacking in courtesy as the baron, the
little man became polite and regretted that the prior claim of of his
two friends would, he feared, deprive him of the pleasure of exacting
that satisfaction which he still hoped circumstances would eventually
afford him. He was queerly precise and too absurd for belief.

"I replied lightly that I should be sorry if any accident were to
deprive him of the happiness of meeting me, but that I had the
pleasant hope of being at his service after I had shot the count and
the baron. I began to enjoy this unique situation.

"The colonel said I was most amiable--but really, my dear Mr.
Greville, it is past my power to do justice to this scene. They were
like the Count Considines and the Irish gentlemen in Lever's novels."

"And was that all?" I asked.

"No, not quite. After the colonel ceased to criticize my views of the
duel, he again informed me that his own friends would call upon me to
withdraw my injurious language. Then these two peacemakers departed.
Now what do you think of my comedy?"

I had listened in amazement to this arrangement--three duels as the
sequel of my adventure! As Merton ended, he burst into a roar of
laughter.

"Now," he said, "what will they do?--rifle, revolver, or bowie? By
George, I am like D'Artagnan--my second day in Paris and three duels
on my hands! Isn't it jolly?"

That was by no means my opinion. "Mr. Merton," I said, "I came here
about this very matter."

"Indeed! How can that be? Pray go on--and did any man ever hear of
such a mix-up? Where do you come in?"

"I will tell you. Last night in the dark, by mishap, I gave this
infernal count your card instead of my own."

"The deuce you did! Great Scott, what fun!"

"Yes, I did." I went on to relate my encounter with the lady, and the
manner in which Count le Moyne had behaved.

"What an adventure! I am so sorry I was not in your place. What a fine
mystery! But what will you do? Was she his wife? I have had many
adventures, but nothing to compar