Mezzoni the Brigand — page 90: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

82 MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. “Let it be to-morrow then, at noon, behind the Park of Capodimonte. ie ‘It is well.’’ The two men then separated, after each had agreed to appoint seconds as their representatives, to arrange the usual details in such encounters. The count knew very well that Albert Corrello was a famous shot, and therefore that he ran a ereat risk of losing his life. However, he could not hesitate to take this course under the circumstances of the case. In connection with the code of honor which existed among his class, and under which he had lived from his birth, he would be counted a very _ poltroon and coward were he to do otherwise. The whole affair presented, as we have before said, a singular anomaly in the character of Alberto Cor- rello. He had shrewdly drawn out from the husband the position which his wife took in the matter, and though it condemned himself, his chivalric instinct was quite sufficient to sustain the lady’s story and to aver her innocence, sustaining it at the risk of his own life. We are accustomed to associate such delicacy and manliness—for this it was on his part—with other excellencies of a noble character, in those who ex- hibit them. But here was aman with but few vir- tues, yet who would not save himself by telling even the truth at the lady’s expense? We should not have been led to believe him capable of such magnanimity, yet who has not, at times, been sur- prised by just such contradictions in character? The seconds duly held their meeting and arranged all preliminaries. ‘The weapons pistols, the distance thirty paces, the two principals to turn and fire at the word ‘‘three,’’ the count being, one, two, three.’’ —_— comichooks.co