As there was nothing to prevent the Englishmen's being seconds, Flamin said, Yes; but Le Baut said, No, when he received Mat's manifesto and war-articles; he was frightened to death almost at the very death-prescription without the ingredient of the bullet. I shall never so belittle a courtier, as to allege that he declines such a potato-war from virtue or from faint-heartedness,--such men tremble certainly not at death, but merely at a disgrace,--but this latter, which Le Baut feared at the hands of the Prince and Minister, was precisely what deterred him. He therefore, on fine paper and with fine turns of expression, which outsparkled the black sand, represented to Mat their former friendship, and dehortations from this glaring "ordeal,"[165] and declared himself besides entirely willing to do everything which his honor--would be offended at, in case he only were not obliged by this sham-fight to violate the laws of the duel. But he was,--Matthieu wrote back, he would pledge himself for the secrecy as well as for the silence of the seconds, and he made the additional proposal to him, that they should insinuate into each other dragon-[166] and pitch-balls in the night and in masks; "for the rest he remained in future his friend as ever, and would visit him, for only honor demanded of him this step." ... And of the Chamberlain too;--for these men swallow only great offences, but no little ones, just as those bitten by mad dogs can get down solids, but no liquids,--and herewith in my eyes is a courtier like Le Baut sufficiently excused, if he makes believe he were an honest man, or as if he were very different from those who pawn their honor for the whole year, and--as in the case of imperial pledges or living pledges of love--never redeem the pawn. All was fixed for the very evening when Victor sorrowfully entered into Maienthal,--the theatre of war was between St. Luna and the city. EXTRA-LEAF IN DEFENCE OF THE DUEL.