Volume II Part 8 (1/2)
The fellow, drawing his sword, dared me to murder him, but at the sa violently on the floor The landlord came up, and threatened the officer to send for the police if he did not withdraw i that I had insulted him in public, and that he would take care that the reparation I owed hione, seeing that the affair an to examine with De la Haye how it could be avoided, but we had not long to puzzle our iination, for in less than half an hour an officer of the Infante of Parma presented himself, and requested me to repair immediately to head-quarters, where M de Bertolan, Commander of Parma, wanted to speak to me
I asked De la Haye to accompany me as a witness of what I had said in the coffee-room as well as of what had taken place in my apartment
I presented myself before the commander, who the Provencal
M de Bertolan, as a witty man, smiled when he saw me; then, with a very serious countenance, he said to -stock of this officer in a public place, it is but right that you should give him publicly the satisfaction which he claims, and as commander of this city I find myself bound in duty to ask you for that satisfaction in order to settle the affair amicably”
”Commander,” I answered, ”I do not see why a satisfaction should be offered to this gentle him into ridicule I told him that I had seen him at the battle of Arbela, and I could not have any doubt about it when he said that he had been present at that battle, and that he knew ain”
”Yes,” interrupted the officer, ”but I heard Rodela and not Arbela, and everybody knows that I fought at Rodela But you said Arbela, and certainly with the intention of laughing at ht o, while the battle of Rodela in Africa took place in our time, and I was there under the orders of the Duke de Morteht to judge ofbeen present at Rodela, since you say so; but in that case the tables are turned, and now I de been at Arbela I certainly did not serve under the Duke de Mortee, but I was aid-de-camp of Parmenion, and I ounded under his eyes If you were to ask me to shew you the scar, I could not satisfy you, for you must understand that the body I had at that tier, and in my present bodily envelope I am only twenty-three years old”
”All this seems to me sheer madness, but, at all events, I have witnesses to prove that you have been laughing at me, for you stated that you had seen me at that battle, and, by the powers! it is not possible, because I was not there At all events, I dehts, if mine are not even better than yours, for your witnesses are likewise entlemen will assert that you said that you had seen me at Rodela, and, by the powers!
it is not possible, for I was not there”
”Well, I may have made a er any clai his lips to restrain his mirth, said to hihtest right to deentleht have been mistaken”
”But,” remarked the officer, ”is it credible that he was at the battle of Arbela?”
”This gentleman leaves you free to believe or not to believe, and he is at liberty to assert that he was there until you can prove the contrary
Do you wish to deny it to make him draw his sword?”
”God forbid! I would rather consider the affair ended”
”Well, gentlemen,” said the commander, ”I have but one more duty to perform, and it is to advise you to embrace one another like two honest reat pleasure
The next day, the Provencal, rather crestfallen, caave him a friendly welcoreat satisfaction of M de la Haye
CHAPTER IV
I Receive Good News From Venice, to Which City I Return with De la Haye and Bavois--My Three Friends Give Me a War Me a Model of Devotion-- Bavois Lures Me Back to My Forh Hypocrite--Adventure with the Girl Marchetti-- I Win a Prize in the Lottery--I Meet Baletti--De la Haye Leaves M de Bragadin's Palace--My Departure for Paris