of. All our officers are insulted, for under their uniform you have conducted yourself like a rascal. You cannot fight with all; it is even probable you will fight with none. Hold yourself in readiness, then. You are be judged. Gentlemen, will you approach?"
We surrounded the Major, and the fiat went forth without discussion. Everyone was of the same opinion.
Then the Major, who had played the rôle of president, approached Stamm, and said to him—
"Monsieur, you are lost to all the laws of honour. Your crime was premeditated in cold blood. You have made M. Zodomirsky pass through all the sensations of a man condemned to death, whilst you were perfectly at ease, you who knew that the pistols were not loaded. Finally, you have refused to fight with the man whom you have doubly insulted."
"Load the pistols! load them!" cried Stamm, exasperated. "I will fight with anyone!"
But the Major shook his head with a smile of contempt.
"No, Monsieur Lieutenant,' he said, "you will fight no more with your comrades. You have stained your uniform. We can no longer serve with you. The officers have charged me to say that, not wishing to make your deficiencies known to the Government, they ask you to give in your resignation on the cause of bad health. The surgeon will sign all necessary certificates. To-day is the 3rd of May: you have from now to the 3rd of June to quit the regiment."
"I will quit it, certainly; not because it is your desire, but mine," said Stamm, picking up his sabre and putting on his coat.
"A last malediction."
Then he leapt upon his horse, and galloped off towards the village, casting a last malediction to us all.
We all pressed round Zodomirsky. He was sad; more than sad, gloomy.
"Why did you force me to consent to this scoundrel's conditions, gentlemen?" he said. "Without you, I should never have accepted them."
"My comrades and I," said the Major, "will take all the responsibility. You have acted nobly, and I must tell you in the name of us all, M. Zodomirsky, that you are a man of honour." Then, turning to the officers "Let us go, gentlemen, we must inform the Colonel of what has passed."
We mounted into the carriages. As we did so we saw Stamm in the distance galloping up the mountain side from the village upon his horse. Zodomirsky's eyes followed him.
"I know not what presentiment torments me," he said, "but I wish his pistol had been loaded, and that he had fired.
He uttered a deep sigh, then shook his head, as if with that he could disperse his gloomy thoughts.
