This encounter took place outside the town of Lubeck, on very open ground, selected with special care in deference to the general sentiment of the cavalry division belonging to the army corps, that this time the two officers should meet on horseback.  After all, this duel was a cavalry affair, and to persist in fighting on foot would look like a slight on one’s own arm of the service.  The seconds, startled by the unusual nature of the suggestion, hastened to refer to their principals.  Captain Feraud jumped at it with alacrity.  For some obscure reason, depending, no doubt, on his psychology, he imagined himself invincible on horseback.  All alone within the four walls of his room he rubbed his hands and muttered triumphantly, “Aha! my pretty staff officer, I’ve got you now.”

Captain D’Hubert on his side, after staring hard for a considerable time at his friends, shrugged his shoulders slightly.  This affair had hopelessly and unreasonably complicated his existence for him.  One absurdity more or less in the development did not matter—­all absurdity was distasteful to him; but, urbane as ever, he produced a faintly ironical smile, and said in his calm voice, “It certainly will do away to some extent with the monotony of the thing.”

When left alone, he sat down at a table and took his head into his hands.  He had not spared himself of late and the marshal had been working all his aides-decamp particularly hard.  The last three weeks of campaigning in horrible weather had affected his health.  When over-tired he suffered from a stitch in his wounded side, and that uncomfortable sensation always depressed him.  “It’s that brute’s doing, too,” he thought bitterly.

The day before he had received a letter from home, announcing that his only sister was going to be married.  He reflected that from the time she was nineteen and he twenty-six, when he went away to garrison life in Strasbourg, he had had but two short glimpses of her.  They had been great friends and confidants; and now she was going to be given away to a man whom he did not know—­a very worthy fellow no doubt, but not half good enough for her.  He would never see his old Leonie again.  She had a capable little head, and plenty of tact; she would know how to manage the fellow, to be sure.  He was easy in his mind about her happiness but he felt ousted from the first place in her thoughts which had been his ever since the girl could speak.  A melancholy regret of the days of his childhood settled upon Captain D’Hubert, third aide-de-camp to the Prince of Ponte Corvo.

He threw aside the letter of congratulation he had begun to write as in duty bound, but without enthusiasm.  He took a fresh piece of paper, and traced on it the words:  “This is my last will and testament.”  Looking at these words he gave himself up to unpleasant reflection; a presentiment that he would never see the scenes of his childhood weighed down the equable spirits of Captain D’Hubert.  He jumped up,