first shot in Europe."

Jekyl hated a duel. Had he been a member of the Peace Congress, he could
not have detested the arbitrament of arms more heartily. 'It involved
partisanship, it severed intimacies, it barred general intercourse, and
often closed up for a whole season the pleasantest houses of a town. The
announcement of a strict blockade never struck a mercantile community
with more terror. To Norwood the prospect was directly the opposite. Not
only an adept in all the etiquette and ceremonial of such meetings, he
liked to see his name circulated in these affairs as a kind of guarantee
of his readiness to seek a similar reparation for injury. He had trusted
for many a year on his dexterity at twelve paces, and he never missed an
opportunity of sustaining the prestige of a "dead shot."

It was, then, with an ardor of amateurship that he narrated the various
little preliminary steps which had already been taken. Merkheim, the
Austrian secretary, had called on him, on the part of Guilmard; and as,
in a case so clear, there was little to arrange, the only difficulty lay
in the choice of weapons.

"The Frenchman claims the sword," said Norwood; "and it is always
awkward to decline that proposition for a soldier. But I suppose George
has about as much chance with one weapon as the other."

"You think he 'll kill him, my Lord?"

"I think so. If the offence had been less flagrant or less public,
possibly not. But a blow! to be struck down in the open street! I don't
see how he can do less."

"What a break-up it will cause here!" said Jekyl, with a nod of his
head in the direction of the drawing-room.

"It will send them all back to England, I suppose."

"I suppose it will," added Jekyl, mournfully.

"What a bore! It's particularly unpleasant for me, for I hold some
half-dozen of George's acceptances, not due yet; and, of course, the
governor will never think of acquitting them."

"I conclude it is inevitable the meeting, I mean?" said Jekyl.

"To be sure it is. Onslow took care of that! By the way, Jekyl, how came
she there at such an hour, and alone, too?"

"She had been shopping, I fancy, and missed the carriage. There was some
blunder, I have heard, about the coachman drawing up at the wrong door."

"No go, Master Jekyl. Don't try it on with me, old fellow. You know all
about it, if you like to tell."

"I assure you, my Lord, you give me a credit I don't deserve."

"You know the whole story from beginn