Volume V Part 93 (1/2)
When we got to the inn, Branicki laid himself down in an arm-chair We unbuttoned his clothes and lifted up his shi+rt, and he could see hierously wounded My ball had entered his body by the seventh rib on the right hand, and had gone out by the second false rib on the left The tounds were ten inches apart, and the case was of an alar nature, as the intestines must have been pierced Branicki spoke to me in a weak voice,--
”You have killed ibbet The duel was fought in the ban, and I ale So lose no tih money take my purse”
I picked up the purse which had fallen out, and put it back in his pocket, thanking hiuilty I was content to lose my head ”I hope,” I added, ”that your wound will not be ht”
With these words I kissed hi neither horses nor carriage, nor servant They had all gone off for doctor, surgeon, priest, and the friends and relatives of the wounded man
I was alone and without any weapon, in the midst of a snow-covered country, htest idea which was the way to Warsaw
I took the road which seeone soh
”Warszawa?” I cried, shewing him a ducat
He understood me, and lifted a coarse h, and then set off at a gallop
All at once Biniski, Branicki's boso the road with his bare sword in his hand He was evidently running after h in which I was, or else he would undoubtedly have ot at last to Warsaw, and went to the house of Prince Ada him to shelter me, but there was nobody there Without delay I detere in the Convent of the Recollets, which was handy
I rang at the door of thethe object of ive hi him with a hearty kick forced htened eance if they refused to grant it One of their number spoke to me, and I was taken to a little den which lookedelse I offered no resistance, feeling sure that they would change their tune before very long I asked them to send for my servants, and when they caeon could come the Palatin of Polduchia was announced I had never had the honour of speaking to hi the history of ive ht in his youthful days Soon after causka, and the Palatin of Wilna, who all joined in a chorus of abuse of the ious excused the that I had ill-treated their porter, which h, for my wound was very painful However I was iuest-rooms
The ball had pierced er, and had broken the first phalanges Its force had been arrested by a metal button on ht wound on my stomach close to the navel However, there it was and it had to be extracted, for it pained eonon the opposite side ofthis painful operation I told the story of the duel to the co What a power vanity exercises on the moral and physical forces! If I had been alone I should probably have fainted
As soon as the eeon ca Gendron a low fellow At the sahter, arrived, and gave us all a surprise by recounting the strange occurrences which had happened after the duel Bininski ca his wound rode off furiously on horseback, swearing to strike me dead wherever he found me He fancied I would be with Tomatis, and went to his house He found Tomatis with his mistress, Prince Lubomirski, and Count Moszczinski, but no Casanova was visible He asked where I was, and on Toed a pistol at his head At this dastardly action Count Moszczincki seized hiot loose with three cuts of his sabre, one of which slashed the count on the face and knocked out three of his teeth
”After this exploit,” Prince Lubomirski continued, ”he seizedto blow out my brains if I did not take hiht get away fro made on him by Tomatis's servants; and I did so immediately Moszczinski is in the doctor's hands, and will be laid up for some time
”As soon as it was reported that Branicki was killed, his Uhlans began to ride about the toearing to avenge their colonel, and to slaughter you It is very fortunate that you took refuge here
”The chief oons, ostensibly to prevent your escape, but in reality to defend you from Branicki's soldiers
”The doctors say that the postoli is in great danger if the ball has wounded the intestines, but if not they answer for his recovery His fate will be known to to have hi has been to see hieneral as present told histhat saved your life was your threat to aihtened him, and to keep your ball from his head he stood in such an aard position that he missed your vital parts Otherwise he would undoubtedly have shot you through the heart, for he can split a bullet into two halves by firing against the blade of a knife It was also a lucky thing for you that you escaped Bininski, who never thought of looking for you in the wretched sleigh”
”My lord, thefor ht Otherwise I should have been cut to pieces just as I went to his help by three of his servants, who stood over me with draords
However, the postoli ordered them to leave hness and Count Moszczinski; and if Tomatis was not killed by the ed with powder”
”That's what I think, for no one heard the bullet; but it was a mere chance”
”Quite so”