And so the poor Tommies had to go away Hungary.
The Baron Speck von Sternberg, the newly appointed charge d’affaires from Berlin, was at a dinner where, in a purely humorous spirit the courage of the various nations of the world was being impugned. The German’s courage was pretty severely attacked by an Englishman. Baron von Sternberg took revenge on him with this brief story—
An Englishman and a German were to fight a duel. They were locked in a pitch dark room together with cocked pistols. All was still, and neither could tell where the other was. Finally the German, not wishing to have murder on his soul, tiptoed to the chimney and fired up it. There was a shriek, and the Englishman, badly wounded, came tumbling down.
Two officers once appeared before Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden to ask his permission to fight a duel, as one had grievously insulted the other. Certainly, my friends, said the king. I will be present myself at the encounter. On the day appointed Gustavus Adolphus appeared on the scene, accompanied by a sinister looking person, who proved to be the public executioner. Pointing to the two combatants, the king said—
You see those two men? Immediately after their duel you will behead the survivor.
The two officers shook hands on the spot.