You will admit, however, that
having the choice of weapons, his life was in my hands, while my own was
in no great danger. I could ascribe my forbearance to generosity alone,
but I will not tell a lie. If I could have chastised R--- without the
least risk to my own life, I should never have pardoned him."
I looked at Silvio with astonishment. Such a confession completely
astounded me. Silvio continued:
"Exactly so: I have no right to expose myself to death. Six years ago I
received a slap in the face, and my enemy still lives."
My curiosity was greatly excited.
"Did you not fight with him?" I asked. "Circumstances probably separated
you."
"I did fight with him," replied Silvio; "and here is a souvenir of our
duel."
Silvio rose and took from a cardboard box a red cap with a gold tassel
and embroidery (what the French call a bonnet de police); he put it on--
a bullet had passed through it about an inch above the forehead.
"You know," continued Silvio, "that I served in one of the Hussar
regiments. My character is well known to you: I am accustomed to taking
the lead. From my youth this has been my passion. In our time
dissoluteness was the fashion, and I was the most outrageous man in the
army.
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