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Updated: August 26, 2024
When she had passed he looked after her with an expression of stupefied compassion. "Confound it, I am no longer a man," he growled, dashing away a tear. When he arrived at the colonel's quarters a captain in attendance greeted him with the words: "It's all right at last. The papers have come." "Ah!" murmured Laguitte, growing very pale.
Every morning at mess and at the canteen the first words were: "Has the acceptance of the major's resignation arrived?" The duel was impatiently expected and ardently discussed. The majority believed that Laguitte would be run through the body in three seconds, for it was madness for a man to fight with a paralyzed leg which did not even allow him to stand upright.
The captain, quite aghast and unable to understand why Laguitte was at the widow's, advanced mechanically. He was so perplexed that he again hesitated at the door. "Another glass of beer," ordered the major, and then turning to Burle, he added, "What's the matter with you? Come in. Are you afraid of being eaten alive?" The captain took a seat, and an awkward pause followed.
What possessed that lunatic major to persist in cutting the throat of his old comrade Burle? The officers again discussed Melanie; they even began to dream of her. There must surely be something wonderful about her since she had completely fascinated two such tough old veterans and brought them to a deadly feud. Morandot, having met Laguitte, did not disguise his concern.
The boy awoke, dazed and shivering, and again rapidly turned over the leaves. At the same moment Major Laguitte, slamming the house door behind him, received on his head a quantity of water falling from the gutters above, whereupon he began to swear in so loud a voice that he could be heard above the storm.
Laguitte had released his hold upon his sword and stood gazing at that poor old rascal Burle, who was stretched upon his back with his fat stomach bulging out. "Oh, my God! My God!" repeated the major furiously and despairingly, and then he began to swear. They led him away, and, both his legs failing him, he had to be supported on either side, for he could not even use his stick.
Laguitte had almost to be carried to the ground; one of his seconds supported him on one side, while on the other he leaned heavily, on his stick. Burle looked half asleep; his face was puffy with unhealthy fat, as if he had spent a night of debauchery. Not a word was spoken. They were all anxious to have it over.
He was slightly lame, but it would have been imprudent to tell him so, as he refused to own it. "What, you, Major?" said Mme Burle with growing astonishment. "Yes, thunder," grumbled Laguitte, "and I must be confoundedly fond of you to roam the streets on such a night as this. One would think twice before sending even a parson out."
At last he understood that this was an execution. Laguitte, squarely poised on his infirm legs and seemingly turned to stone, stood waiting. The two men looked at each other fixedly. In Burle's blurred eyes there arose a supplication a prayer for pardon. He knew why he was going to die, and like a child he promised not to transgress again.
While Morandot was thus speaking Laguitte simply stared before him with his round eyes, persevering in the dumb obstinacy born of his narrow mind; and when his companion tried to question him regarding his hatred for Burle, he simply made the same vague gesture as before and once again repeated: "He annoyed me; so much the worse."
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