LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1609, 17 April 1879, Page 3

LITERATURE.

TWO FAIR DUELLISTS. (From the “ Danbury News ’!) Chapter I. AN EXTRAORDINARY PROJECT. The infantry regiment of the Preobroschenski Guards was occupying the barracks adjoining the Winter Palace It was early summer, but Catherine 11. had as yet apparently no intention of changing gay St. Petersburg for her idyllic country residence at Zarskoje Se'o. In a roomy, whitewashed apartment, the soldiers slept sitting, for fear of injuring their great powdered queues ; in an adjoining room a number of lieutenants and otter minor officers of various regiments lounged around a long greasy table and played onze-et-demi ; they had been playing ihe entire afternoon, and their dissipations extended deep into the night by the mi-e----rable light of a small lamp which hung from the grimy ceiling. There was one who did not participate in the game. He was a young officer, tall and supple, with a fresh, fair face and Urge b'ue eyes under dark lashes and dark brows, which contrasted almost coquettishly with his white toupet. He sat, his legs outstretched, his ha ids deep in the pockets of his green dress coat, in a dark corner, and stared at the floor.

Another left the table; he drew a deep breath and looked around the room, then he approached his comrade in the corner.

‘You have stopped playing, Koltoff?’ he began laying hia hand on the other’s shoulder.

‘ Yes—and you ? ’ •I am done,’ rejoined his friend. ‘ I have lost everything.’ «So have I,’ said Koltoff. ‘ But with you, my dear Lapinski, that really means nothing. A weak protest from your father, a moral lecture, and all is over, I am ruined My debts are enormous, as you well know, and I have no father to pay them, not even an uncle to die and leave mo something ; to-day 1 staked and lost my month’s pay, in the vain hope that fortune might smile on me and pour a few thousand roubles into my lap, as she treated Count Saltkoff the other day; here I am, without a single kepec, and in all Kussia there is not a person who will loan me one. Nothing remains but to shoot myself.’ ‘Listen,’ returned Lapinski, *as you remarked, I shall have little difficulty with my worthy father, and then we will have money.’ . < v on mean you will have money.

* No, we. ‘ I certainly cannot — ! ‘ You certainly cannot what? ’ ‘Live on your money,’ replied Koltoff, ‘honor dictites that I shoot myself.’ ‘ I actually believe, my dear fellow, you have been drinking too hard.’ remarked Lapinski, shrugging his shoulders, ‘ but tell me at once how much you will need, and I will see that you get it in good time, Koltoff was silent,

‘ Since you a r o determined not to accept my offer, I will go.' continued Lapinski, angrily, after a brief silence, ‘ I force my friendship an i love on nobody.’ With this he jammed his three cornered, gold-fringed hat on his well-powdered h- ad with such violence tha ■ a wr.ite cloud arose from it, and hastily lefc the room, bis huge spurs rattling furiously ; but when h« had arrived at the door of his house and his hand was already on the knob, the words of his comrade rose vividly in bis mind and he felt a s range f ar ; he retraced his steps and in a few om* nts after ran up the tumble down step which led to Koltoff’s chambers Th'ough the door a white ray of li-ht fell on the opposite wall. Then he h d also returned home and had not yet retired. Lapinski knocked. No answ, r. tie knocked again, louder this time ‘ For God’s sake,’ he cried out, ‘ open ; money—her« is money for you !’ He heard steps, a sound as if a drawer was hastily being shut, and then Koltoff openei the door. Lapinski started back when he saw the change that bad taken place in his friend’s appearance in so short a time : his hair fell careb ssly over his pale face ; his eyes were sunken, and shone with a stracge, restless fire.

Lapinski had instinctively, as if dissuading him from some undertaking, grasped his hand and was looking around the room, but discovered nothing suspicious ; then he approached the table at which Koltoff usually wrote. Koltoff made a quick movement toward him, but his comrade had already opened the door and discovered the pistol, which was still coekod.

‘ Really! stammered Lapinski He could not say another word for the moment. Both were silent Then Lapinski resumed—‘Did I not tell you that I would procure you the necessary amount of money? ’ ‘ I appreciate your sincere friendship with all my heart,’ replied Koltoff, ‘ but I cannot live at another’s expense. It is not momentary help that I require. Every prospect for the future is wanting, and if I actually should live on bread and water, and shun play and women, how could 1 pay my debts with my miserable lieutenant’s pittance ? In the end I will have no other alternative than—a bullet.’

* Can there really be no other alternative,’ said Lapinski; * let me think. But promise me first that you will not make another attempt on your life, at least until our wits fail us. Give me your hand and promise me.’ ‘Conditionally,’ replied Koltoff. ‘Good,’ returned the other, ‘if we have arrived at no result in one month, you are at perfect liberty ' ‘ To shoot myself ?’ ‘To shoot, drown, poison, hang yourself; you shall have your own choice of deaths.’ ‘ Agreed.’ The two comrades shook each other heartily by the hand. ‘Bat what project have you ?’ began Koltoff.

‘ At present I have none,’ answered Lapinski, * but have no fears. What is there more inventive in jthe world than a lieutenant’s brain? Attention! Let us begin at the boldest step, overthrow Orloff and insinuate yourself in the affections of the empress.' ‘ What are you talking about ?’ said Koltoff, inclined to laugh at the ingenuity and boldness of the other.

‘ Why not ?’ continued Lapinski; ‘at the present day all things are possible; all things, I tell you ; we have arrived at a time when Haroun al Rashid seems to live again. But I see you have not the courage necessary for such a bold step, or is Catherine II perhaps not after your taste ? Do you prefer black eyes ?’ ‘Enough of this jest,’ said Koltoff, ‘the way in which I shall proce id must be, before everything, an honorable one.’ ‘How ’Lapinski was thoughtful. ‘I have it!’ he cried suddenly. ‘I have it. You must marry.’ ‘ Marry ? No, I prefer to shoot myself,’ replied the lieutenant, with an expression of genuine terror in his youthful face.

‘ You are lost at all events,’laughed his friend. ‘ Choose at least the most agreeable mode of death and—marry.’

“Even were I to accept your proposition,’ returned Koltoff, * where could you find a wife for me, a rich wife for a poor officer, overburdened with debt ? ’

‘Nothing easier,’replied Lapinski, ‘than to find a wealthy girl who will marry out of pure love; onr girls of overpowering lineage and empty pocket-books cast their eyes on generals or at least wealthy country boors ; but a lady, who possesses vast wealth In her own right, can afford the luxury of marrying a man whom she loves ’ Koltolf smiled. ‘ Perhaps you already have a bride for me in petto ? ’ ‘ Why not ? a hundred if you like,’ said Lapinski. ‘ I have assisted many a fellow merely for the pleasure of doing the thing ; and being careful and systematic, as you know, I keep a correct lexicon of marriageable females,”

* What! ’ exclaimed Koltoff, breaking into a pleasant lauch ’ ‘Here it is, continued Lapinski, drawing quite a voluminous note book from ms breast pocket; ‘take it. You will find them all all there, our beauties, each with a personal description, as well as income, character, previous life and other relations.’ ‘ This is indeed a precious work,’ said Koltoff, laughing ; ‘ let us see ’ And both of the young officers began to study the remarkable lexicon vigorously. * 1 should propose that you begin in alphabetical order,’ resumed Lapinsdi after a pause. ‘ Try your luck with the first, and if she gives you the mitten, besiege the second, and so on f/om A to Z.’ ‘ The whole thing is altogether too silly,’ replied Kolt iff, ‘ as far as I am concerned. I am perfectly willing to place my neck under a woman’s slipper, but it must be a slipper —. I mean a woman that I can love.’

* How does your taste run ; do you prefer a blonde or a brunette ? ’

‘Above all things 1 worship moiesty in women ’

‘ Then shoot yourself on the spot,’ cried Lapinski. ‘ln the reign and at the court of the northern semiratnis, Katharine 11., you look for modesty ? Do you not know that our best women are at the very least Amazons and blue stockings ? ’ ‘ What shall I do ? ’

‘ If you are too conscientious to proceed alphabetically, let Fate decide,’ advised the thoughtless Lapinski. ‘ How ? ’

‘How? that is easy enough. Let us imitate the Arab when he looks to his Koran for advice; we will stick a needle into my lexicon, and wherever the point rests, there you must look for your bride.’

Lapinski took a needle and proceeded in the manner and with the firm conviction of the Oriental fatalists ; then he opened the book at the page pierced by the needle. ‘ You have extraordinary luck,’ he said, when he found the place; ‘your destiny leads you directly at the most beautiful, and at the same time wealthy, lady in my directory. ’ ‘Let me see !’ said Koltoff, excited.

* Lubina, Countess Montschikoff,’ read Lapinski, ‘ widow of Count Ivan, twentythree years of age, tall, of commanding aspect, magnificently formed ; fine, haughty features; black hair; black, fiery eyes; deep alto voice. Character firm, manner somewheat overbearing, but lovable or amiable, highly educated ; possesses a fortune of two million roubles, entirely unencumbered, is independent of her relatives. Her character unimpeachable. Eccentricities ; she is said to hate men.’

‘ Does she not serve in the army ? ’ asked Kelt' ff

‘Wait, Yes. She serves in the Simbirsk Regiment, and with the rank of maj or.’ ‘ That is too bad,’ said Koltoff. ‘ Why ? all of our Amazons wear officers’ epaulettes, the Countess Ivan Saltikoff, Jaduiga Niewclinski, Sophie Nariaohkin, and many others; Madame de Meilin commands a regiment.’ {lo be Continued,)