Милий друг
A Duel with an End
Duroysetoutuponhiserrandandonhisreturntotheoffice,wrotethefollowing:
"Ananonymouswriterin‘LaPlume’istryingtopickaquarrelwithmeonthesubjectofanoldwomanwho,heclaims,wasarrestedfordisorderlyconduct,whichIdeny.IhavemyselfseenDameAubert,whoissixtyyearsoldatleast;shetoldmetheparticularsofherdisputewithabutcherastotheweightofsomecutlets,whichdisputenecessitatedanexplanationbeforeamagistrate.Thatisthewholetruthinanutshell.AsfortheotherinsinuationsIscornthem.Onenevershouldreplytosuchthings,moreover,whentheyarewrittenunderamask.GEORGESDUROY."
M.WalterandJacquesRivalconsideredthatsufficient,anditwasdecidedthatitshouldbepublishedinthatday’sissue.
Duroyreturnedhomeratheragitatedanduneasy.Whatwouldthisopponentreply?Whowashe?Whythatattack?Hepassedarestlessnight.Whenhere-readhisarticleinthepaperthenextmorning,hethoughtitmoreaggressiveinprintthanitwasinwriting.Hemight,itseemedtohim,havesoftenedcertainterms.Hewasexcitedalldayandfeverishduring-thenight.Heroseearlytoobtainanissueof"LaPlume"whichshouldcontainthereplytohisnote.Heranhiseyesoverthecolumnsandatfirstsawnothing.Hewasbeginningtobreathemorefreelywhenthesewordsmethiseye:
"M.Duroyof‘LaVieFrancaise’givesusthelie!Indoingso,helies.
