Lieutenant Kugelblitz, to whose opinion
deference was due, expressed himself in such
offensive terms with respect to Herr von
Thalermacher, in relation to the ball, that
the gentlemen who had prepared the
subscription-list at once erased the objectionable
name: Herr von Thalermacher at once
demanded satisfaction from his accuser, but
this Lieutenant Kugelblitz refused, on the
ground that the banker was not respectable
enough for powder and shot. Hereupon two
courts of honour were formed, one composed
of gentlemen civilians in Baden-Baden, and
the other of the officers in Carlsruhe. Both
appeared to have been called together at the
wish of Lieutenant Kugelblitz to inquire
into and pronounce upon the point at issue.
The civilians came to no decision. The military
court of honour put the result of its
deliberations in the Carlsruhe Zeitung, as a
public advertisement, couched in these terms:
"The Herr von Kugelblitz may not fight
with the Herr von Thalermacher." Thus
posted as a scamp, Thalermacher advertised
back his own defence; and, by public circulars
and bills, declared the accusation of Kugelblitz
to be false and malicious, and his
behaviour dishonourable and cowardly. At the
same time, a Russian officer of good family,
—Demboffsky—who had acted throughout as
negotiator and friend on the part of
Thalermacher, and who felt himself deeply
compromised by the imputations put forth against
his principal, declared publicly that the
military court which had condemned the
Herr von Thalermacher, after hearing only
his accuser, was a one-sided and absurd
tribunal, and that it was not competent to give
any decision.

The result of this declaration was a
challenge from Lieutenant Kugelblitz.
Demboffsky said that he was quite willing to give his
challenger the satisfaction he demanded, on
condition that he should first arrange his
quarrel with Herr Thalermacher as became
a gentleman.

On the night of the first of September
(at the beginning of our English shooting
season), the Russian being on a visit to
his friend, Thalermacher, in his apartments,
assured him in the most positive terms, that
he would keep promise, and would make no
hostile arrangement with Lieutenant Kugelblitz.
Prince Trubetzkoi and other friends
then present completely coincided in this
mode of action. At half-past eleven at night,
Demboffsky quitted his friend, and hastened
homewards. He had advanced only a few
steps on the road, when suddenly two figures
strode up to him, and stayed his progress.
He at once recognised Kugelblitz, and a
Spaniard named Manillo, who had lived for
many years in Germany.

'Will you fight with me?" shouted
Kugelblitz in a passion.

The Russian, although taken completely
by surprise, replied that he would do as he
had already said. He would fight with
Seuor Manillo at once if it were thought
desirable; but he would engage in no
hostilities with Kugelblitz, until the quarrel with
Thalermacher was adjusted. Great was the
wrath of Kugelblitz. He clenched his fist,
shook it in the face of Demboffsky, and
demanded furiously that he should give his
word of honour to fight him in the morning.
The Russian, who expected bodily violence,
then said, that since the insult had been
pushed so far, there remained no other
course open to him, than to accept the
challenge; which he accordingly did, pledging
himself to meet Kugelblitz on the morrow
He then hastened back to his friend Thalermacher,
and related the occurrence to him.

On the following day the duel took place.
It happened that Lieutenant Kugelblitz was
under orders to mark out the artillery practice-
ground at Hardwald, near Rastadt, and as he
could not leave his post, the meeting took
place in its neighbourhood. The two officers
stood forward in deadly opposition with a
measured distance of ten paces only.

Nevertheless, the first fire was without
result; but, at the second fire, Kugelblitz was
struck in the breast; yet he still held his
weapon undischarged. He pressed his left
hand on the wound as he pulled the trigger
with his right. The pistol missed fire.
Another cap was placed upon the nipple, but
it also failed. The second of Demboffsky
then handed another weapon to the dying
man; who, with quiet resolution, still closing
his wound with his fingers, drew for the
third time upon his opponent, and with
such effect, that, uttering a wild cry, and
the words "Je suis mort!" "I am dead!"
the Russian leapt up into the air, and then
rolled upon the ground a corpse. Kugelblitz,
exhausted by the efforts he had made to die
like a gentleman, sank into the arms of his
second, Manillo, and was carried insensible
to Carlsruhe. He died at noon on the second
day after the duel.

Thereupon the discerning and indignant
public, a little biassed—as it too often has
been in Germany—against the Jews in
general, gutted the house of Herr von
Thalermacher.

The State also fell in with the common
notion; and, under the plea of sheltering an
injured man, lodged him in prison for eleven
days. Seals were placed upon his papers and
apartments. The State then set about
ascertaining privately in how far the victim of
mob law had been guilty of the mischief
which by general acclamation was imputed
to him.

After a hunt through the banker's desk,
and an inspection of his drawers, the decision
of the court tribunal of Rastadt was delivered.
It was ordered that the Herr Heller von
Thalermacher be forthwith liberated from
the fortress of Rastadt, free and untainted.
Further: that the seals be removed from his