usual at the bottom of the business, and that
its disclosure would tell favourably for the prisoners. But nothing
could be got out of the obstinate duellists, who called no witnesses,
except to character. Of these a host attended, for both Oakley and De
Berg; and nothing could be stronger than the laudatory testimonials
given them by their superiors and comrades. These, doubtless, had
weighed with the court, for its sentence was considered very lenient.
Oakley was condemned to five years' imprisonment, for attempting the
life of his officer; De Berg was reprimanded for his forgetfulness of
discipline, in provoking or consenting to a personal encounter with a
subordinate, was removed from his regiment and placed in non-activity,
which, under the circumstances, was equivalent to dismissal from the
service, less the disgrace.

I remained in Paris till the sentence of the court was known. Although
by no means desirous to be brought forward in the business, I was
willing to waive my repugnance, if by so doing I could benefit Oakley.
With some difficulty I obtained access to him, begged him to prescribe
a course for my adoption, and frankly to tell me if my evidence could
be of service. He assured me it could not; there was no question of
the fairness of the duel, and the sole crime was in the breach of
military discipline. This crime my testimony could in no way palliate.
He requested me to see M. de Berg, and to tell him that, to avoid the
possibility of the cause of the duel becoming known, he should refuse
to answer questions, plead guilty to the charge, and state, as sole
extenuation, that the quarrel occurred off duty, and had no connection
with military matters. This commission I duly executed. Another which
he intrusted to me I found greater difficulty in performing. It was to
procure information concerning Bertha de Bellechasse. After some
unsuccessful attempts, I at last ascertained that she had been for
some days confined to her bed by indisposition. This was sad news for
Oakley, and I was loth to convey them to him, but I had promised him
the exact truth. Fortunately I was able to tell him at the same time
that the young lady's illness was not of a dangerous character,
although the species of nervous languor which had suddenly and
unaccountably seized her, caused great alarm to her parents, and
especially to the colonel, who idolised his only child. Oakley was
sadly depressed on learning the effect upon Bertha of