an angry quiver could be heard in the young man's voice, and he
observed that he had not come there to listen to sermonising.

'At your age it is always a good thing to hear the truth!' cried
Pantaleone.

The debate between the seconds several times became stormy; it lasted
over an hour, and was concluded at last on the following conditions:
'Baron von Doenhof and M. de Sanin to meet the next day at ten o'clock
in a small wood near Hanau, at the distance of twenty paces; each to
have the right to fire twice at a signal given by the seconds, the
pistols to be single-triggered and not rifle-barrelled.' Herr von
Richter withdrew, and Pantaleone solemnly opened the bedroom door, and
after communicating the result of their deliberations, cried again:
'_Bravo Russo_! _Bravo giovanotto_! You will be victor!'

A few minutes later they both set off to the Rosellis' shop. Sanin, as
a preliminary measure, had exacted a promise from Pantaleone to keep
the affair of the duel a most profound secret. In reply, the old man
had merely held up his finger, and half closing his eyes, whispered
twice over, _Segredezza_! He was obviously in good spirits, and even
walked with a freer step. All these unusual incidents, unpleasant
though they might be, carried him vividly back to the time when he
himself both received and gave challenges--only, it is true, on the
stage. Baritones, as we all know, have a great deal of strutting and
fuming to do in their parts.