“You won’t forget what I asked you?” he said, “and you will obtain from Giordano a promise that he will say nothing to my mother, or even to my brother. Will you take care, also, that this affair does not get into the papers, or, if it does, that no names are mentioned.”
“You are still of opinion, then, this duel will prove fatal to you?” I said.
“I am more than ever convinced of it,” he replied, “but you will do me this justice at least, that I met death like a true Corsican.”
“My dear de Franchi, your calmness is so astounding that it gives me hopes that you yourself are not convinced on this point.”
Louis took out his watch.
“I have but seven minutes to live,” he said; “here is my watch, keep it, I beg of you, in remembrance of me.” I took the watch, and shook my friend’s hand.
“In eight minutes I hope to restore it to you,” I said.
“Don’t speak of that,” he replied. “See, here are the others.”
“Gentlemen,” said the Viscount de Chateaugrand, “a little distance from here, on the right, is an open space where I had a little practice of my own last year; shall we proceed thither—we shall be less liable to interruption.”