Some of them were sipping4 wine, others were playing cards, others chess, other groups were chatting together, and many were smoking cigarettes while they waited for the coming duels5. Nearly all of them wore colored caps; there were white caps, green caps, blue caps, red caps, and bright-yellow ones; so, all the five corps6 were present in strong force. In the windows at the vacant end of the room stood six or eight, narrow-bladed swords with large protecting guards for the hand, and outside was a man at work sharpening others on a grindstone.
He understood his business; for when a sword left his hand one could shave himself with it.
It was observable that the young gentlemen neither bowed to nor spoke7 with students whose caps differed in color from their own. This did not mean hostility8, but only an armed neutrality. It was considered that a person could strike harder in the duel1, and with a more earnest interest, if he had never been in a condition of comradeship with his antagonist9; therefore, comradeship between the corps was not permitted. At intervals10 the presidents of the five corps have a cold official intercourse11 with each other, but nothing further. For example, when the regular dueling-day of one of the corps approaches, its president calls for volunteers from among the membership to offer battle; three or more respond—but there must not be less than three; the president lays their names before the other presidents, with the request that they furnish antagonists12 for these challengers from among their corps. This is promptly13 done. It chanced that the present occasion was the battle-day of the Red Cap Corps. They were the challengers, and certain caps of other colors had volunteered to meet them. The students fight duels in the room which I have described, two days in every week during seven and a half or eight months in every year. This custom had continued in Germany two hundred and fifty years.
To return to my narrative14. A student in a white cap met us and introduced us to six or eight friends of his who also wore white caps, and while we stood conversing15, two strange-looking figures were led in from another room. They were students panoplied16 for the duel. They were bareheaded; their eyes were protected by iron goggles17 which projected an inch or more, the leather straps18 of which bound their ears flat against their heads were wound around and around with thick wrappings which a sword could not cut through; from chin to ankle they were padded thoroughly19 against injury; their arms were bandaged and rebandaged, layer upon layer, until they looked like solid black logs. These weird20 apparitions21 had been handsome youths, clad in fashionable attire22, fifteen minutes before, but now they did not resemble any beings one ever sees unless in nightmares. They strode along, with their arms projecting straight out from their bodies; they did not hold them out themselves, but fellow-students walked beside them and gave the needed support.
There was a rush for the vacant end of the room, now, and we followed and got good places. The combatants were placed face to face, each with several members of his own corps about him to assist; two seconds, well padded, and with swords in their hands, took their stations; a student belonging to neither of the opposing corps placed himself in a good position to umpire the combat; another student stood by with a watch and a memorandum-book to keep record of the time and the number and nature of the wounds; a gray-haired surgeon was present with his lint23, his bandages, and his instruments.
After a moment’s pause the duelists saluted24 the umpire respectfully, then one after another the several officials stepped forward, gracefully25 removed their caps and saluted him also, and returned to their places. Everything was ready now; students stood crowded together in the foreground, and others stood behind them on chairs and tables. Every face was turned toward the center of attraction.
The combatants were watching each other with alert eyes; a perfect stillness, a breathless interest reigned26. I felt that I was going to see some wary27 work. But not so. The instant the word was given, the two apparitions sprang forward and began to rain blows down upon each other with such lightning rapidity that I could not quite tell whether I saw the swords or only flashes they made in the air; the rattling28 din29 of these blows as they struck steel or paddings was something wonderfully stirring, and they were struck with such terrific force that I could not understand why the opposing sword was not beaten down under the assault. Presently, in the midst of the sword-flashes, I saw a handful of hair skip into the air as if it had lain loose on the victim’s head and a breath of wind had puffed30 it suddenly away.
The seconds cried “Halt!” and knocked up the combatants’ swords with their own. The duelists sat down; a student official stepped forward, examined the wounded head and touched the place with a sponge once or twice; the surgeon came and turned back the hair from the wound—and revealed a crimson31 gash32 two or three inches long, and proceeded to bind33 an oval piece of leather and a bunch of lint over it; the tally-keeper stepped up and tallied34 one for the opposition35 in his book.
Then the duelists took position again; a small stream of blood was flowing down the side of the injured man’s head, and over his shoulder and down his body to the floor, but he did not seem to mind this. The word was given, and they plunged36 at each other as fiercely as before; once more the blows rained and rattled37 and flashed; every few moments the quick-eyed seconds would notice that a sword was bent38—then they called “Halt!” struck up the contending weapons, and an assisting student straightened the bent one.
The wonderful turmoil39 went on—presently a bright spark sprung from a blade, and that blade broken in several pieces, sent one of its fragments flying to the ceiling. A new sword was provided and the fight proceeded. The exercise was tremendous, of course, and in time the fighters began to show great fatigue40. They were allowed to rest a moment, every little while; they got other rests by wounding each other, for then they could sit down while the doctor applied41 the lint and bandages. The law is that the battle must continue fifteen minutes if the men can hold out; and as the pauses do not count, this duel was protracted42 to twenty or thirty minutes, I judged. At last it was decided43 that the men were too much wearied to do battle longer. They were led away drenched44 with crimson from head to foot. That was a good fight, but it could not count, partly because it did not last the lawful45 fifteen minutes (of actual fighting), and partly because neither man was disabled by his wound. It was a drawn46 battle, and corps law requires that drawn battles shall be refought as soon as the adversaries47 are well of their hurts.
During the conflict, I had talked a little, now and then, with a young gentleman of the White Cap Corps, and he had mentioned that he was to fight next—and had also pointed48 out his challenger, a young gentleman who was leaning against the opposite wall smoking a cigarette and restfully observing the duel then in progress.
My acquaintanceship with a party to the coming contest had the effect of giving me a kind of personal interest in it; I naturally wished he might win, and it was the reverse of pleasant to learn that he probably would not, because, although he was a notable swordsman, the challenger was held to be his superior.
The duel presently began and in the same furious way which had marked the previous one. I stood close by, but could not tell which blows told and which did not, they fell and vanished so like flashes of light. They all seemed to tell; the swords always bent over the opponents’ heads, from the forehead back over the crown, and seemed to touch, all the way; but it was not so—a protecting blade, invisible to me, was always interposed between. At the end of ten seconds each man had struck twelve or fifteen blows, and warded49 off twelve or fifteen, and no harm done; then a sword became disabled, and a short rest followed whilst a new one was brought. Early in the next round the White Corps student got an ugly wound on the side of his head and gave his opponent one like it. In the third round the latter received another bad wound 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.
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1
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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whitewashed
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| 粉饰，美化，掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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duels
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| n.两男子的决斗( duel的名词复数 )；竞争，斗争 | |
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corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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8
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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antagonists
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| 对立[对抗] 者，对手，敌手( antagonist的名词复数 )； 对抗肌； 对抗药 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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panoplied
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| adj.全套披甲的，装饰漂亮的 | |
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goggles
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| n.护目镜 | |
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straps
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| n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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apparitions
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| n.特异景象( apparition的名词复数 )；幽灵；鬼；（特异景象等的）出现 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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lint
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| n.线头；绷带用麻布，皮棉 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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gash
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| v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝 | |
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bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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tallied
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| v.计算，清点( tally的过去式和过去分词 )；加标签（或标记）于；（使）符合；（使）吻合 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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37
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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38
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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41
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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42
protracted
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| adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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43
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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44
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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45
lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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46
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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47
adversaries
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| n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 ) | |
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48
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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49
warded
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| 有锁孔的，有钥匙榫槽的 | |
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