The avenue of the Minimes has vanished. It was a lovely place, tree-sheltered and leading by a pond where the green rushes whispered beneath silvery willows, making a picture after the heart of Puvis de Chavannes. It opened out of a broad drive, and was a favourite spot for the settlement of affairs of honour. "We are first," cried Joubert, turning his head. I stood up. Yes; there was no other carriage; in fact, we were ten minutes before our time--a great mistake, for a ten minutes' wait in an affair of this description is one of the most unsettling things possible for the nerves of a man. We drew up near the entrance to the Avenue des Minimes, and, getting out, I paced up and down, for the early morning was chilly, though it gave promise of a glorious day. Ah! here they came--at least, some of them. A carriage rapidly driven was coming along the drive. There were three gentlemen in it, my seconds, De Brissac and M. de Champfleury, and a tall personage who turned out to be Colonel Savernac, the extra friend whom I had asked De Brissac to bring. We had scarcely exchanged greetings when another carriage arrived, containing De Coigny and Baron Struve--who were the seconds of the Baron Carl von Lichtenberg--and Dr. Pons, the surgeon. The seconds of either party bowed one to the other. De Brissac took out his watch. "What time do you make it, M. de Coigny?" "Five minutes to the hour," replied De Coigny. "Ah! I make it the hour. My watch is set by the Observatory clock. Still, perhaps it may have gone wrong. Make it, then, five minutes to the hour. And hi! there! Move on those carriages. We are as noticeable as the front of the Opera House; and should a mounted gendarme come this way there will be trouble." "Monsieur," said Joubert, jumping down as the carriages moved off, "you promised." "Yes," said I, half to Joubert, half to De Brissac. "I promised. You may remain as a spectator--at a distance." "A servant!" said De Coigny. "No, Monsieur de Coigny," I replied; "a faithful friend, and a soldier of Napoleon." De Coigny turned on his heel, and began talking to Dr. Pons, who stood with a mahogany case under his arm. "Notice," I said to De Brissac. "De Coigny has turned his back upon me; but within an hour's time, if I do not fall by the sword of Von Lichtenberg, I will require him to turn his face to me." "You are going to----" "Kill him," I replied. De Brissac shrugged his shoulders, and looked again at his watch. "I make it five minutes past the hour, M. de Coigny." De Coigny looked at his watch and nodded. "By the way," I heard Champfleury say to one of my adversary's seconds, "has anyone seen anything of M. le Baron Carl von Lichtenberg during the last three months?" "I have not," replied the gentleman addressed, "nor have I met anyone who has. The Prussian Embassy people do not know anything of his whereabouts: he has had leave of absence." "Rest assured," said De Coigny, "he will arrive. He is not a coward."