travels through france and italy-第56章

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nveyed　　him　by　sea　to　Antibes。　The　body　of　his　antagonist　was　denied　　Christian　burial；　as　he　died　without　absolution；　and　every　body　　allowed　that　his　soul　went　to　hell：　but　the　gentlemen　of　the　army　　declared；　that　he　died　like　a　man　of　honour。　Should　a　man　be　　never　so　well　inclined　to　make　atonement　in　a　peaceable　manner；　　for　an　insult　given　in　the　heat　of　passion；　or　in　the　fury　of　　intoxication；　it　cannot　be　received。　Even　an　involuntary　trespass　　from　ignorance；　or　absence　of　mind；　must　be　cleansed　with　blood。　　A　certain　noble　lord；　of　our　country；　when　he　was　yet　a　commoner；　　on　his　travels；　involved　himself　in　a　dilemma　of　this　sort；　at　　the　court　of　Lorrain。　He　had　been　riding　out；　and　strolling　along　　a　public　walk；　in　a　brown　study；　with　his　horse…whip　in　his　hand；　　perceived　a　caterpillar　crawling　on　the　back　of　a　marquis；　who　　chanced　to　be　before　him。　He　never　thought　of　the　petit　maitre；　　but　lifting　up　his　whip；　in　order　to　kill　the　insect；　laid　it　　across　his　shoulders　with　a　crack；　that　alarmed　all　the　company　　in　the　walk。　The　marquis's　sword　was　produced　in　a　moment；　and　　the　aggressor　in　great　hazard　of　his　life；　as　he　had　no　weapon　of　　defence。　He　was　no　sooner　waked　from　his　reverie；　than　he　begged　　pardon；　and　offered　to　make　all　proper　concessions　for　what　he　　had　done　through　mere　inadvertency。　The　marquis　would　have　　admitted　his　excuses；　had　there　been　any　precedent　of　such　an　　affront　being　washed　away　without　blood。　A　conclave　of　honour　was　　immediately　assembled；　and　after　long　disputes；　they　agreed；　that　　an　involuntary　offence；　especially　from　such　a　kind　of　man；　d'un　　tel　homme；　might　be　attoned　by　concessions。　That　you　may　have　　some　idea　of　the　small　beginning；　from　which　many　gigantic　　quarrels　arise；　I　shall　recount　one　that　lately　happened　at　　Lyons；　as　I　had　it　from　the　mouth　of　a　person　who　was　an　ear　and　　eye　witness　of　the　transaction。　Two　Frenchmen；　at　a　public　　ordinary；　stunned　the　rest　of　the　company　with　their　loquacity。　　At　length；　one　of　them；　with　a　supercilious　air；　asked　the　　other's　name。　〃I　never　tell　my　name；　（said　he）　but　in　a　whisper。〃　〃You　may　have　very　good　reasons　for　keeping　it　　secret；〃　replied　the　first。　〃I　will　tell　you；〃　（resumed　the　　other）：　with　these　words　he　rose；　and　going　round　to　him；　　pronounced；　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by　the　whole　company；　〃Je　　m'appelle　Pierre　Paysan；　et　vous　etes　un　impertinent。〃　〃My　name　　is　Peter　Peasant；　and　you　are　an　impertinent　fellow。〃　So　saying；　　he　walked　out：　the　interrogator　followed　him　into　the　street；　　where　they　justled；　drew　their　swords；　and　engaged。　He　who　asked　　the　question　was　run　through　the　body；　but　his　relations　were　so　　powerful；　that　the　victor　was　obliged　to　fly　his　country；　was　　tried　and　condemned　in　his　absence；　his　goods　were　confiscated；　　his　wife　broke　her　heart；　his　children　were　reduced　to　beggary；　　and　he　himself　is　now　starving　in　exile。　In　England　we　have　not　　yet　adopted　all　the　implacability　of　the　punctilio。　A　gentleman　　may　be　insulted　even　with　a　blow；　and　survive；　after　having　once　　hazarded　his　life　against　the　aggressor。　The　laws　of　honour　in　　our　country　do　not　oblige　him　either　to　slay　the　person　from　whom　　he　received　the　injury；　or　even　to　fight　to　the　last　drop　of　his　　own　blood。　One　finds　no　examples　of　duels　among　the　Romans；　who　　were　certainly　as　brave　and　as　delicate　in　their　notions　of　　honour　as　the　French。　Cornelius　Nepos　tells　us；　that　a　famous　　Athenian　general；　having　a　dispute　with　his　colleague；　who　was　of　　Sparta；　a　man　of　a　fiery　disposition；　this　last　lifted　up　his　　cane　to　strike　him。　Had　this　happened　to　a　French　petit　maitre；　　death　must　have　ensued：　but　mark　what　followedThe　Athenian；　far　　from　resenting　the　outrage；　in　what　is　now　called　a　gentlemanlike　　manner；　said；　〃Do；　strike　if　you　please；　but　hear　me。〃　He　never　　dreamed　of　cutting　the　Lacedemonian's　throat；　but　bore　with　his　　passionate　temper；　as　the　infirmity　of　a　friend　who　had　a　　thousand　good　qualities　to　overbalance　that　defect。

I　need　not　expatiate　upon　the　folly　and　the　mischief　which　are　　countenanced　and　promoted　by　the　modern　practice　of　duelling。　I　　need　not　give　examples　of　friends　who　have　murdered　each　other；　　in　obedience　to　this　savage　custom；　even　while　their　hearts　were　　melting　with　mutual　tenderness；　nor　will　I　particularize　the　　instances　which　I　myself　know；　of　whole　families　ruined；　of　women　　and　children　made　widows　and　orphans；　of　parents　deprived　of　only　　sons；　and　of　valuable　lives　lost　to　the　community；　by　duels；　　which　had　been　produced　by　one　unguarded　expression；　uttered　　without　intention　of　offence；　in　the　heat　of　dispute　and　　altercation。　I　shall　not　insist　upon　the　hardship　of　a　worthy　　man's　being　obliged　to　devote　himself　to　death；　because　it　is　his　　misfortune　to　be　insulted　by　a　brute；　a　bully；　a　drunkard；　or　a　　madman：　neither　will　I　enlarge　upon　this　side　of　the　absurdity；　　which　indeed　amounts　to　a　contradiction　in　terms；　I　mean　the　　dilemma　to　which　a　gentleman　in　the　army　is　reduced；　when　he　　receives　an　affront：　if　he　does　not　challenge　and　fight　his　　antagonist；　he　is　broke　with　infamy　by　a　court…martial；　if　he　　fights　and　kills　him；　he　is　tried　by　the　civil　power；　convicted　　of　murder；　and；　if　the　royal　mercy　does　not　interpose；　he　is　　infallibly　hanged：　all　this；　exclusive　of　the　risque　of　his　own　　life　in　the　duel；　and　his　conscience　being　burthened　with　the　　blood　of　a　man；　whom　perhaps　he　has　sacrificed　to　a　false　　punctilio；　even　contrary　to　his　own　judgment。　These　are　　reflections　which　I　know　your　own　good　sense　will　suggest；　but　I　　will　make　bold　to　propose　a　remedy　for　this　gigantic　evil；　which　　seems　to　gain　ground　everyday：　let　a　court　be　instituted　for　　taking　cognizance　of　all　breaches　of　honour；　with　power　to　punish　　by　fine；　pillory；　sentence　of　infamy；　outlawry；　and　exile；　by　　virtue　of　an　act　of　parliament　made　for　this　purpose；　and　all　　persons　insulted；　shall　have　recourse　to　this　tribunal：　let　every　　man　who　seeks　personal　reparation　with　sword；　pistol；　or　other　　instrument　of　death；　be　declared　infamous；　and　banished　the　　kingdom：　let　every　man；　convicted　of　having　used　a　sword　or　　pistol；　or　other　mortal　weapon；　against　another；　either　in　duel　　or　rencountre；　occasioned　by　any　previous　quarrel；　be　subject　to　　the　same　penalties：　if　any　man　is　killed　in　a　duel；　let　his　body　　be　hanged　upon　a　public　gibbet；　for　a　certain　time；　and　then　　given　to　the　surgeons：　let　his　antagonist　be　hanged　as　a　　murderer；　and　dissected　also；　and　some　mark　of　infamy　be　set　on　　the　memory　of　both。　I　apprehend　such　regulations　would　put　an　　effectual　stop　to　the　practice　of　duelling；　which　nothing　but　　the　fear　of　infamy　can　support；　for　I　am　persuaded；　that　no　　being；　capable　of　reflection；　would　prosecute　the　trade　of　　assassination　at　the　risque　of　his　own　life；　if　this　hazard　　was　at　the　same　time　reinforced　by　the　certain　prospect　of　　infamy　and　ruin。　Every　person　of　sentiment　would　in　that　case　　allow；　that　an　officer；　who　in　a　duel　robs　a　deserving　woman　　of　her　husband；　a　number　of　children　of　their　father；　a　family　　of　its　support；　and　the　community　of　a　fellow…citizen；　has　as　　little　merit　to　plead　from　exposing　his　own　person；　as　a　　highwayman；　or　h