called upon my adversary to get ready. My Frenchman had already taken out
his sword, but he kept it under his arm.

"Two to one!" exclaimed Celi.

"Send your friend away, and this gentleman will go likewise; at all
events, your friend wears a sword, therefore we are two against two."

"Yes," said the Frenchman, "let us have a four-handed game."

"I do not cross swords with a dancer," said the cutthroat.

He had scarcely uttered those words when my friend, going up to him, told
him that a dancer was certainly as good as a blackleg, and gave him a
violent bow with the flat of his sword on the face. I followed his
example with Celi, who began to beat a retreat, and said that he only
wanted to tell me something, and that he would fight afterwards.

"Well, speak."

"You know me and I do not know you. Tell me who you are."

My only answer was to resume laying my sword upon the scoundrel, while
the Frenchman was shewing the same dexterity upon the back of his
companion, but the two cowards took to their heels, and there was nothing
for us to do but to sheathe our weapons. Thus did the duel end in a
manner even more amusing than Marina herself had anticipated.

My brave Frenchman was expecting someone at the casino. I left him after
inviting him to supper for that evening after the opera. I gave him; the