Suddenly I squeezed him by the arm. "Well?" he asked. "He has cotton wool in his ears," I said; "I will try to break his head for him." Meanwhile, M. Gaillardet was talking animatedly with the seconds, and it was easily seen that his gestures were negative ones. Indeed, he refused a third time to fight with swords. His two seconds came to announce that his resolution on this point was immovable; there was nothing more left to do but to choose a spot for the duel. We left the carriage where it was, instructing the driver to come when he heard the firing and we plunged into the wood. After walking for five minutes we found a suitable opening: straight and without the sun. There were but the final settlements to make--the business of the seconds--they met and entered into committee. Meanwhile, I placed the letters intended for my mother, in case of accident, in Bixio's charge. My final injunctions to him were delivered in so simple a manner and in such confident tones, that Bixio took my hand and pressed it, saying-- "Bravo! dear fellow! I should not have believed you would have been so cool under the circumstances." "It is on such occasions that I am cool," I said to him; "I slept badly the night after M. Gaillardet's provocation; but, it is part of my very character--temperament, whatever you like to call it--from a doctor's point of view, to be far less moved by danger the nearer it approaches me." "I should very much like to feel your pulse when you are actually standing up against one another." "Just as you like; that is easily done!" "We will see how many more beats it gives from excitement." "I, too, would like to know; it is a matter of interest to me personally." "Do you think you will hit him?" "I am afraid not." "Try, though." "I will do my best ... You have a grudge against him then?" "I, not the least in the world; I do not know him." "Well, then?" "Have you read Mérimée's _Le Vase étrusque_?" "Yes." "Well, he says that every man killed by a bullet turns round before he falls; I should like to know if this is true, from the point of view of science." "I will do my best to gratify your desire." The seconds separated from one another. Fontan and Soulié went towards M. Gaillardet and de Longpré, and Maillan came to me. "Well," they said, "we have claimed that the choice of arms ought to be decided by lot; but M. Gaillardet's seconds maintain the contrary; we have come to consult you." "You know very well what my opinion is; I will fight with what you will, but I should prefer swords." "Fontan and Soulié are reporting to M. Gaillardet, as you see. Stop, they are coming to us." And, indeed, Soulié and Fontan were doing so, and we met them half-way. "M. Gaillardet," said Soulié, "has just declared to us that if he does not fight with pistols, he will not fight at all."