than which nothing could have been
simpler. Instead of advancing to meet De Guiche, or remaining in his
place to await his approach, De Wardes had, for about fifteen paces,
followed the circle of the shadow which hid him from his adversary's
observation, and at the very moment when the latter presented his flank
in his career, he had fired from the place where he stood, carefully
taking aim, and assisted instead of being inconvenienced by the horse's
gallop. It has been seen that, notwithstanding the darkness, the first
ball passed hardly more than an inch above De Guiche's head. De Wardes
had so confidently relied upon his aim, that he thought he had seen De
Guiche fall; his astonishment was extreme when he saw he still remained
erect in his saddle. He hastened to fire his second shot, but his hand
trembled, and he killed the horse instead. It would be a most fortunate
chance for him if De Guiche were to remain held fast under the animal.
Before he could have freed himself, De Wardes would have loaded his
pistol and had De Guiche at his mercy. But De Guiche, on the contrary,
was up, and had three shots to fire. De Guiche immediately understood
the position of affairs. It would be necessary to exceed De Wardes in
rapidity of execution. He advanced, therefore, so as to reach him
before he should have had time to reload his pistol. De Wardes saw him
approaching like a tempest. The ball was rather tight, and offered some
resistance to the ramrod. To load carelessly would be simply to lose
his last chance; to take the proper care in loading meant fatal loss of
time, or rather, throwing away his life. He made his horse bound on
one side. De Guiche turned round also, and, at the moment the horse was
quiet again, fired, and the ball carried off De Wardes's hat from
his head. De Wardes now knew that he had a moment's time at his own
disposal; he availed himself of it in order to finish loading his
pistol. De Guiche, noticing that his adversary did not fall, threw the
pistol he had just discharged aside, and walked straight towards
De Wardes, elevating the second pistol as he did so. He had hardly
proceeded more than two or three paces, when De Wardes took aim at him
as he was walking, and fired. An exclamation of anger was De Guiche's
answer; the comte's arm contracted and dropped motionless by his side,
and the pistol fell from his grasp. His anxiety was excessive. "I am
lost," murmured De Wardes, "he is not mortally wounded." A