e no hostile arrangement with
Lieutenant Kugelblitz. Prince Trubetzkoi and other friends then present
completely coincided in this mode of action. At half-past eleven at
night, Demboffsky quitted his friend, and hastened homewards. Be had
advanced only a few steps on the road, when suddenly two figures strode
up to him, and stayed his progress. He at once recognised Kugelblitz,
and a Spaniard named Manillo, who had lived for many years in Germany.

"Will you fight with me?" shouted Kugelblitz in a passion.

The Russian, although taken completely by surprise, replied that he would
do as he had already said. He would fight with Senor Manillo at once if
it were thought desirable; but he would engage in no hostilities with
Kugelblitz, until the quarrel with Thalermacher was adjusted. Great was
the wrath of Kugelblitz. He clenched his fist, shook it in the face of
Demboffsky, and demanded furiously that he should give his word of honour
to fight him in the morning. The Russian, who expected bodily violence,
then said that since the insult had been pushed so far, there remained no
other course open to him, than to accept the challenge; which he
accordingly did, pledging himself to meet Kugelblitz on the morrow. He
then hastened back to his friend Thalermacher, and related the occurrence
to him.

On the following day the duel took place. It happened that Lieutenant
Kugelblitz was under orders to mark out the artillery practice-ground at
Hardwald, near Rastadt, and as he could not leave his post, the meeting
took place in its neighbourhood. The two officers stood forward in
deadly opposition with a measured distance of ten paces only.

Nevertheless, the first fire was without result; but, at the second fire,
Kugelblitz was struck in the breast; yet he still held his weapon
undischarged. He pressed his left hand on the wound as he pulled the
trigger with his right. The pistol missed fire. Another cap was placed
upon the nipple, but it also failed. The second of Demboffsky then
handed another weapon to the dying man; who, with quiet resolution, still
closing his wound with his fingers, drew for the third time upon his
opponent, and with such effect, that, uttering a wild cry, and the words
"_Je suis mort_!" "I am dead!" the Russian leapt up into the air, and
then rolled upon the ground a corpse. Kugelblitz, exhausted by the
efforts he had made to die like a gentleman, sank into the arms of his
second, Manillo,