"In what manner is it a secret, Herr?"
"Because, if divulged to King Christian, he would remember the law of 1618, and send me prisoner to Cronenborg."
"You have, then, fought a duel!"
"Hush—it was only a clean thrust with a rapier."
"And what did you fight about?"
"A lady!" I replied, laughing, and observing her narrowly.
"A lady!" she reiterated, unmoved as a rock, to my great disappointment.
"Nay, nay, Ernestine!" said I, "it was about nothing more than a can of beer."
"A reputable reason, certainly—a valuable commodity to peril one's life for!"
"Every other day I peril my life for the price of it, however; but a point of some importance was involved—a national insult." I then related my quarrel at Faaborg, and she declared that my indignation had been justly roused, but very improperly satisfied.