"Fine cause for a quarrel! a song! Tell me how it happened."

"Willingly: Peter has recently been composing, and this morning he sang
his song for me. Then I chanted mine:


'Daughter of the Captain, walk not forth at midnight.'


As we were not on the same note, Peter was angry, forgetting that every
one is at liberty to sing what he pleases."

The insolence of Alexis made me furious. No one but myself understood
his allusions. From poetry the conversation passed to poets in
general. The Commandant observed that they were all debauchees and
drunkards, and advised me, as a friend, to renounce poetry as contrary
to the service, and leading to nothing good.

As the pretence of Alexis was to me insupportable, I hastened to take
leave of the family. In my own apartment I examined my sword, tried
its point, and went to bed, having ordered Saveliitch to wake me in the
morning at six o'clock.

The next day at the appointed time I was behind the haystack awaiting
my adversary, who did not fail to appear. "We may be surprised," he
said; "be quick." We laid aside our uniforms, drew our swords from the
scabbards, when Ignatius, followed by five pensioners, came out from
behind a haystack. He ordered us to repair to the presence of the
Commandant. We obeyed. The soldiers surrounded us. Ignatius