DASCHER
I see that you are without your sword, but I believe you are a man of mettle. Will you give me satisfaction?
RODERICK
I shall be delighted; but you have lost and you must pay me the money before we meet, for, after all, you cannot pay me when you are dead.
ANOTHER OFFICER
I will undertake to pay you the 2 0 louis, but only tomorrow morning at the meeting.
On the field, there are six people waiting with Dascher, and his seconds. Dascher takes 20 louis from his pocket and hands them to Roderick, saying:
DASCHER
I may have been mistaken, but I mean to make you pay deadly for your brutality.
Roderick takes the money and puts it in his purse with the utmost calm, making no reply to the other's boasting.
RODERICK
(privately)
It is distasteful to kill a scoundrel -- that should be work for a hangman.
CHEVALIER
To risk one's life against such people is an imposition.
RODERICK
(laughs)
I risk nothing, for I am certain to kill him.
CHEVALIER
Certain?
RODERICK
Perfectly certain, because I shall make him tremble.
He takes his station between two trees, about four paces apart, and draws a pair of dueling pistols.
RODERICK
You have only to pace yourself at ten paces difference, and fire first. The space between these two trees is the place where I choose to walk back and forth. You may walk too, if you wish, when it is my turn to fire.
No one could have explained his intentions more clearly or spoken more calmly.
DASCHER
But we must decide who is to have the first shot.
RODERICK
There is no need of that. I never fire first; and, in any case, you have that right.
Dascher places himself at the specified distance.
Roderick walks slowly back and forth between the two trees without looking at him.
Dascher takes aim and fires, missing.
RODERICK
(with the greatest composure)
You missed me, sir. I was sure you would. Try again.
The others think he is mad, and had expected some kind of discussion between the parties, but not a bit of it.
Dascher takes careful aim and fires a second shot, again missing Roderick.
Without a word, but in a firm and confident manner, Roderick fires his first shot into the air.
Dascher looks amazed. Then, aiming at Dascher with his second pistol, he hits him in the center of the forehead and stretches him out dead on the ground.
Roderick and Chevalier traveling in their coach.
RODERICK (V.O.)
Thus is will be seen that our life, for all its splendor was one of extreme difficulty and danger, requiring high talents and courage for success, and sudden and unexpected departures.
They meet a four-wheel carriage, drawn by two horses, carrying a master and a servant.
The driver of the four-wheel carriage wants Roderick's driver to make way for him.
Roderick's driver protests that if he does, he will upset his master in the ditch, but the other insists.
Roderick addresses the master, a handsome young man, and asks him to order his driver to make way for him.
RODERICK
I am posting, monsieur, and furthermore I am a foreigner.
STRANGER
Monsieur, here in Saxony, the post has no special right, and if you are a foreigner, you must admit that you have no greater claim than mine, since I am in my own country.
At that, Roderick gets out and holding his drawn-sword tells the stranger to get out, or to make way for him.
The stranger replies, with a smile, that he has no sword and that, in any case, he will not fight for such a silly reason.
He tells Roderick to get back in his chaise, and he makes way for him.
Roderick and the Chevalier running a faro bank when an important lady suffers a huge loss.
RODERICK (V.O.)
The ladies were passionately fond of play, and hence would often arise no small trouble to us; for the truth most be told, that the ladies loved to play, but not to pay. The point of honor is not understood by the charming sex; and it was with the greatest difficulty that we could keep them from the table, could get their money if they lost or, if they paid, prevent them from using the most furious and extraordinary means of revenge.
RODERICK (V.O.)
On this evening, the lady of high rank, after I had won a considerable sum in diamonds and pearls from her, sent her lover with a band of cutthroats to waylay me.
Roderick and the Chevalier are sound asleep in their carriage when they are awakened by a violent jolt, upon which the carriage overturns in the middle of the road.
The Chevalier is underneath, and screams from the pain in his right arm, which he thinks is broken.
Their servant forces the door open to help them out, telling them that the two postilions have fled.
Roderick easily gets out of the carriage through the door, which is above him, but the Chevalier, unable to move because of his disabled arm, has to be pulled out.
His piercing shrieks make Roderick laugh, because of the strange oaths with which he interlards his prayers.
From the carriage, Roderick takes his dueling pistols, and sword.
Roderick tells his servant to mount and to looking for armed peasants in the vicinity; money in hand, he leaves.
The Chevalier has lain down on the hard ground, groaning and in no condition to resist robbers.
Roderick makes his own preparations to sell his fortune and his life at the highest price.
His carriage is close to the ditch, and he unhitches the horses, tieing them to the wheels and the pole in a circle, and stations himself behind them with weapons.
In this predicament, Roderick cannot help laughing at the poor Chevalier, who is writhing like a dying dolphin on a seashore, and uttering the most pitiful execrations, when a mare, whose back was turned to him, take it into her empty head to empty her bladder on him. There is nothing to be done; he has to put up with the whole stinking rain, and to forgive Roderick's laughter, which he has not the strength to hold in.
The chill wind and the silence are suddenly broken by an attack, which is half-hearted and uncertain, by the lady's lover, and his hesitant band of six cut-throats.
Some falter and run away as soon as Roderick fires his pistol.
The leader and two heartier followers engage Roderick. During the fight, they mortally wound the helpless Chevalier and two of them are killed.
After they flee, Roderick kneels by the Chevalier, who utters some appropriate last words, then dies.
His servant finally arrives at full gallop, shouting at the top of his voice, and followed by a band of peasants, each with his lantern, come to his rescue. There are ten or twelve of them, all armed with muskets, and all ready to obey his orders.
Roderick's carriage arrives.
RODERICK (V.O.)
After making suitable arrangements for the Chevalier's burial, in proper accord with his church, I traveled to Spa, which was now in season, alone, to continue my profession which formerly had the support of my friend and mentor.