to dispose of one immediately, and the other at the earliest opportunity."

The only reply De Wardes made was a burst of laughter, so diabolical in
its sound, that a superstitious man would have been terrified. But De
Guiche was not so impressionable as that. "I think," he said, "that
everything is now settled, Monsieur de Wardes; so have the goodness to
take your place first, unless you would prefer me to do so."

"By no means," said De Wardes. "I shall be delighted to save you the
slightest trouble." And spurring his horse to a gallop, he crossed the
wide open space, and took his stand at that point of the circumference of
the cross-road immediately opposite to where De Guiche was stationed. De
Guiche remained motionless. At this distance of a hundred paces, the two
adversaries were absolutely invisible to each other, being completely
concealed by the thick shade of elms and chestnuts. A minute elapsed
amidst the profoundest silence. At the end of the minute, each of them,
in the deep shade in which he was concealed, heard the double click of
the trigger, as they put the pistols on full cock. De Guiche, adopting
the usual tactics, put his horse to a gallop, persuaded that he should
render his safety doubly sure by the movement, as well as by the speed of
the animal. He directed his course in a straight line towards the point
where, in his opinion, De Wardes would be stationed; and he expected to
meet De Wardes about half-way; but in this he was mistaken. He continued
his course, presuming that his adversary was impatiently awaiting his
approach. When, however, he had gone about two-thirds of the distance,
he beheld the trees suddenly illuminated and a ball flew by, cutting the
plume of his hat in two. Nearly at the same moment, and as if the flash
of the first shot had served to indicate the direction of the other, a
second report was heard, and a second ball passed through the head of De
Guiche's horse, a little below the ear. The animal fell. These two