It was on account of his unpopularity and the various quarrels with him that he was so badly treated by the members of the parliament, and was finally so exasperated that he determined to fight a duel.
In Austria it is a criminal offence to fight a duel, and all the persons engaged in an affair of the kind can be imprisoned for from one to five years.
The Prime Minister, however, felt that he had been so terribly insulted that nothing but a duel could satisfy his sense of honor.
He therefore telegraphed to the Emperor, asking his permission to fight.
Duelling used to be a very common practice in Europe, and was considered the only means of avenging an insult. It was, however, carried to such an extent, that men would call one another out, as it was termed, for the most trifling offence. So many good and brave men were killed in this unreasonable manner, that one country after another began to make laws forbidding the practice. These laws have only been in force for a very few years, and in cases where men are terribly provoked, they still turn to duelling as a means of settling their disputes.
The Emperor of Austria, when he learnt of the shameful things that had been said to the Count, felt that, were he in the Premier's place, nothing but a duel could satisfy his honor, and so he gave his permission, and the duel took place.
Count Badeni was shot in the arm, and severely wounded; Dr. Wolff escaped unhurt.
Immediately the duel had taken place the Premier's enemies seized upon it as a means of disgracing him.
They raised a tumult about it, and declared that a man who would break the law by fighting a duel was not fit to manage the affairs of Government, and begged that the Count be dismissed from office, and arrested.
The Premier was, however, well aware of the serious nature of the act he contemplated, and that duelling was not a becoming occupation for a Prime Minister, so, when he asked the Emperor's permission to fight, he also sent in his resignation as Prime Minister.