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The Two Brothers-Part43_Honore de Balzac(1799-1850)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

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guard in a way that gained him an advantage. Experts in the art of



killing, know that, of two antagonists, the ablest takes the "inside

of the pavement,"--to use an expression which gives the reader a



tangible idea of the effect of a good guard. That pose, which is in

some degree observant, marks so plainly a duellist of the first rank



that a feeling of inferiority came into Max's soul, and produced the

same disarray of powers which demoralizes a gambler when, in presence



of a master or a lucky hand, he loses his self-possession and plays

less well than usual.



"Ah! the lascar!" thought Max, "he's an expert; I'm lost!"

He attempted a "moulinet," and twirled his sabre with the dexterity of



a single-stick. He wanted to bewilder Philippe, and strike his weapon

so as to disarm him; but at the first encounter he felt that the



colonel's wrist was iron, with the flexibility of a steel string.

Maxence was then forced, unfortunate fellow, to think of another move,



while Philippe, whose eyes were darting gleams that were sharper than

the flash of their blades, parried every attack with the coolness of a



fencing-master wearing his plastron in an armory.

Between two men of the calibre of these combatants, there occurs a



phenomenon very like that which takes place among the lower classes,

during the terrible tussle called "the savante," which is fought with



the feet, as the name implies. Victory depends on a false movement, on

some error of the calculation, rapid as lightning, which must be made



and followed almost instinctively. During a period of time as short to

the spectators as it seems long to the combatants, the contest lies in



observation, so keen as to absorb the powers of mind and body, and yet

concealed by preparatory feints whose slowness and apparent prudence



seem to show that the antagonists are not intending to fight. This

moment, which is followed by a rapid and decisive struggle, is



terrible to a connoisseur. At a bad parry from Max the colonel sent

the sabre spinning from his hand.



"Pick it up," he said, pausing; "I am not the man to kill a disarmed

enemy."



There was something atrocious in the grandeur of these words; they

seemed to show such consciousness of superiority that the onlookers



took them for a shrewdcalculation. In fact, when Max replaced himself

in position, he had lost his coolness, and was once more confronted



with his adversary's raised guard which defended the colonel's whole

person while it menaced his. He resolved to redeem his shameful defeat



by a bold stroke. He no longer guarded himself, but took his sabre in

both hands and rushed furiously on his antagonist, resolved to kill



him, if he had to lose his own life. Philippe received a sabre-cut

which slashed open his forehead and a part of his face, but he cleft



Max's head obliquely by the terrible sweep of a "moulinet," made to

break the force of the annihilating stroke Max aimed at him. These two



savage blows ended the combat, at the ninth minute. Fario came down to

gloat over the sight of his enemy in the convulsions of death; for the



muscles of a man of Maxence Gilet's vigor quiverhorribly. Philippe

was carried back to his uncle's house.



Thus perished a man destined to do great deeds had he lived his life

amid environments which were suited to him; a man treated by Nature as



a favorite child, for she gave him courage, self-possession, and the

political sagacity of a Cesar Borgia. But education had not bestowed



upon him that nobility of conduct and ideas without which nothing

great is possible in any walk of life. He was not regretted, because



of the perfidy with which his adversary, who was a worse man than he,

had contrived to bring him into disrepute. His death put an end to the



exploits of the Order of Idleness, to the great satisfaction of the

town of Issoudun. Philippe therefore had nothing to fear in



consequence of the duel, which seemed almost the result of divine

vengeance: its circumstances were related throughout that whole region



of country, with unanimous praise for the bravery of the two

combatants.



"But they had better both have been killed," remarked Monsieur

Mouilleron; "it would have been a good riddance for the Government."



The situation of Flore Brazier would have been very embarrassing were

it not for the condition into which she was thrown by Max's death. A



brain-fever set in, combined with a dangerous inflammation resulting

from her escapade to Vatan. If she had had her usual health, she might






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