my mind that
I'll run that fellow through the body, and so I will, as sure as I am an
O'Brien."

"Well, I hope you will; but pray do not be too sure."

"It's feeling sure that will make me able to do it, Peter. By the blood
of the O'Briens! didn't he slap me with his sword, as if I were a clown
in the pantomime--Peter, I'll kill the harlequin scoundrel, and my
word's as good as my bond!"

By this time we had arrived at the ground. The French lieutenant
stripped to his shirt and trowsers; O'Brien did the same, kicking his
boots off, and standing upon the wet grass in his stockings. The swords
were measured, and handed to them: they took their distance, and set to.
I must say that I was breathless with anxiety; the idea of losing
O'Brien struck me with grief and terror. I then felt the value of all
his kindness to me, and would have taken his place, and have been run
through the body, rather than he should have been hurt. At first,
O'Brien put himself in the correct attitude of defence, in imitation of
the lieutenant, but this was for a very few seconds: he suddenly made a
spring, and rushed on his adversary, stabbing at him with a velocity
quite astonishing, the lieutenant parrying in his defence, until at last
he had an opportunity of lounging at O'Brien. O'Brien, who no longer
kept his left arm raised in equipoise, caught the sword of the
lieutenant at within six inches of the point, and directing it under his
left arm, as he rushed in, passed his own through the lieutenant's body.
It was all over in less than a minute the lieutenant did not live
half-an-hour afterwards. The French officers were very much surprised
at the result, for they perceived at once that O'Brien knew nothing of
fencing. O'Brien gathered a tuft of grass, wiped the sword, which he
presented to the officer to whom it belonged, and thanking the major and
the whole of them for their impartiality and gentlemanlike conduct, led
the way to the square, where he again took his station in the ranks of
the prisoners.

Shortly after, the major commandant came up to us, and asked whether we
would accept of our parole, as, in that case, we might travel as we
pleased. We consented, with many thanks for his civility and kindness;
but I could not help thinking at the time, that the French officers were
a little mortified at O'Brien's success, although they were too
honourable to express the feeling.

I had almost forgot to say, that on our return a