be in the land of the living; I am told you made an excellent dinner?"

"Yes, my lord, I was afraid I might never have another chance of dining
again."

"If I had dined, your ball would have pierced my intestines; but being
empty it yielded to the bullet, and let it pass by harmlessly."

I heard afterwards that on the day of the duel Branicki had gone to
confession and mass, and had communicated. The priest could not refuse
him absolution, if he said that honour obliged him to fight; for this was
in accordance with the ancient laws of chivalry. As for me I only
addressed these words to God:

"Lord, if my enemy kill me, I shall be damned; deign, therefore, to
preserve me from death. Amen."

After a long and pleasant conversation I took leave of the hero to visit
the high constable, Count Bielinski, brother of Countess Salmor. He was a
very old man, but the sovereign administrator of justice in Poland. I had
never spoken to him, but he had defended me from Branicki's Uhlans, and
had made out my pardon, so I felt bound to go and thank him.

I sent in my name, and the worthy old man greeted me with:

"What can I do for you?"

"I have come to kiss the hand of the kindly man that signed my pardon,
and to promise your excellency to be more discreet in future."