Finally the doctor finished, and the men who were to fight the closing battle of the day came forth.  A good many dinners were not completed, yet, but no matter, they could be eaten cold, after the battle; therefore everybody crowded forth to see.  This was not a love duel, but a “satisfaction” affair.  These two students had quarreled, and were here to settle it.  They did not belong to any of the corps, but they were furnished with weapons and armor, and permitted to fight here by the five corps as a courtesy.  Evidently these two young men were unfamiliar with the dueling ceremonies, though they were not unfamiliar with the sword.  When they were placed in position they thought it was time to begin—­and then did begin, too, and with a most impetuous energy, without waiting for anybody to give the word.  This vastly amused the spectators, and even broke down their studied and courtly gravity and surprised them into laughter.  Of course the seconds struck up the swords and started the duel over again.  At the word, the deluge of blows began, but before long the surgeon once more interfered—­for the only reason which ever permits him to interfere—­and the day’s war was over.  It was now two in the afternoon, and I had been present since half past nine in the morning.  The field of battle was indeed a red one by this time; but some sawdust soon righted that.  There had been one duel before I arrived.  In it one of the men received many injuries, while the other one escaped without a scratch.

I had seen the heads and faces of ten youths gashed in every direction by the keen two-edged blades, and yet had not seen a victim wince, nor heard a moan, or detected any fleeting expression which confessed the sharp pain the hurts were inflicting.  This was good fortitude, indeed.  Such endurance is to be expected in savages and prize-fighters, for they are born and educated to it; but to find it in such perfection in these gently bred and kindly natured young fellows is matter for surprise.  It was not merely under the excitement of the sword-play that this fortitude was shown; it was shown in the surgeon’s room where an uninspiring quiet reigned, and where there was no audience.  The doctor’s manipulations brought out neither grimaces nor moans.  And in the fights it was observable that these lads hacked and slashed with the same tremendous spirit, after they were covered with streaming wounds, which they had shown in the beginning.

The world in general looks upon the college duels as very farcical affairs:  true, but considering that the college duel is fought by boys; that the swords are real swords; and that the head and face are exposed, it seems to me that it is a farce which had quite a grave side to it.  People laugh at it mainly because they think the student is so covered up with armor that he cannot be hurt.  But it is not so; his eyes are ears are protected, but the rest of his face and head are bare.  He can not