A TRAMP ABROAD By Mark Twain

in the head, and the former had his under-lip divided.

After that, the White Corps student gave many severe wounds,

but got none of the consequence in return. At the end

of five minutes from the beginning of the duel the surgeon

stopped it; the challenging party had suffered such

injuries that any addition to them might be dangerous.

These injuries were a fearful spectacle, but are better

left undescribed. So, against expectation, my acquaintance

was the victor.

CHAPTER VI

[A Sport that Sometimes Kills]

The third duel was brief and bloody. The surgeon stopped

it when he saw that one of the men had received such bad

wounds that he could not fight longer without endangering

his life.

The fourth duel was a tremendous encounter; but at the end

of five or six minutes the surgeon interfered once more:

another man so severely hurt as to render it unsafe to add

to his harms. I watched this engagement as I watched

the others–with rapt interest and strong excitement,

and with a shrink and a shudder for every blow that laid

open a cheek or a forehead; and a conscious paling of my

face when I occasionally saw a wound of a yet more shocking

nature inflicted. My eyes were upon the loser of this

duel when he got his last and vanquishing wound–it

was in his face and it carried away his–but no matter,

I must not enter into details. I had but a glance, and then

turned quickly, but I would not have been looking at all if I

had known what was coming. No, that is probably not true;

one thinks he would not look if he knew what was coming,

but the interest and the excitement are so powerful that

they would doubtless conquer all other feelings; and so,

under the fierce exhilaration of the clashing steel,

he would yield and look after all. Sometimes spectators

of these duels faint–and it does seem a very reasonable

thing to do, too.

Both parties to this fourth duel were badly hurt so much

that the surgeon was at work upon them nearly or quite an

hour–a fact which is suggestive. But this waiting interval

was not wasted in idleness by the assembled students.

It was past noon, therefore they ordered their landlord,

downstairs, to send up hot beefsteaks, chickens, and such things,

and these they ate, sitting comfortable at the several tables,

whilst they chatted, disputed and laughed. The door to

the surgeon’s room stood open, meantime, but the cutting,

sewing, splicing, and bandaging going on in there in

plain view did not seem to disturb anyone’s appetite.

I went in and saw the surgeon labor awhile, but could

not enjoy; it was much less trying to see the wounds

given and received than to see them mended; the stir

and turmoil, and the music of the steel, were wanting

here–one’s nerves were wrung by this grisly spectacle,

whilst the duel’s compensating pleasurable thrill was lacking.

Finally the doctor finished, and the men who were to fight

the closing battle of the day came forth. A good many

dinners were not completed, yet, but no matter, they could

be eaten cold, after the battle; therefore everybody

crowded forth to see. This was not a love duel, but a

“satisfaction” affair. These two students had quarreled,

and were here to settle it. They did not belong to any of

the corps, but they were furnished with weapons and armor,

and permitted to fight here by the five corps as a courtesy.

Evidently these two young men were unfamiliar with the

dueling ceremonies, though they were not unfamiliar with

the sword. When they were placed in position they thought

it was time to begin–and then did begin, too, and with

a most impetuous energy, without waiting for anybody

to give the word. This vastly amused the spectators,

and even broke down their studied and courtly gravity

and surprised them into laughter. Of course the seconds

struck up the swords and started the duel over again.

At the word, the deluge of blows began, but before long

the surgeon once more interfered–for the only reason

which ever permits him to interfere–and the day’s