“‘And will this act of savagery take place under my eyes?’
“‘Let me, at first,’ said my friend, ‘explain to you this singular duel, for it is a duel sustained without enmity, without heat, without anger, for the simple purpose of proving to each other their surpassing courage, and their contempt for existence. This savage recreation, which owes its origin to barbarous ages, is called a cacciata from the word caccia (hunting). From time to time, when security from the police is certain, a group of persons such as these meet in some secluded locality for the purpose of holding a caccia, whose end is solely to test their courage. But hold,’ he added, ‘that tall man whom you see at the extremity of the hall is about to announce the proposal to fight.’
“At the same moment I heard, in the obscurity, our young companion rubbing his hands with great satisfaction.
“Although a good deal disturbed at what I had heard, I did not lose a motion of the men.
“Suddenly there arose a great tumult in the hall.
“The man whom the count had indicated by his great stature, pronounced a sort of speech; but he spoke with so much heat and volubility that it was impossible for me to understand a single thing except the word cacciata.
“When he finished speaking, each man put his hand in his pocket and drew out an enormous knife, whose blade shone and sparkled with a sinister brilliancy.
“‘My God,’ said I, ‘are they going to cut each other’s throats under our very eyes?’
“‘Calm yourself,’ said the count, seizing my hands with force. ‘Reassure yourself, you will see nothing—what is now passing is the worst. Come, be courageous, and do not lose sight of a single movement.’
“The recommendation to calm myself was wholly useless.