"Dishonoured," said Frederic coldly.
Sturm gave a cry of rage and raised his whip to strike his young officer, but observing Frederic"s complete calm he let it fall.
"Who threatens strikes, sir," Frederic answered, "and it is as if you had struck me."
He turned to the table and wrote a few lines. Then he opened the door of the ante-room and calling the officers who were there:
"Gentlemen, he said, I confide this paper to your loyalty. Read what it says aloud."
"I tender my resignation as chief of General Sturm"s staff and officer in the Prussian army.
"Dated at noon July 22nd, 1866.
"FREDERIC VON BuLOW."
"Which means?" asked Sturm.
"Which means that I am no longer in His Majesty"s service nor in yours, and that you have insulted me. Gentlemen, this man raised his horsewhip over me. And having insulted me, you owe me reparation. Keep my resignation, gentlemen, and bear witness that I am free from all military duty at the moment I tell this man that he is no longer my chief, and consequently that I am not his inferior. Sir, you have injured me mortally, and I will kill you, or you will kill me."
Sturm burst out laughing.
"You give your resignation," he said, "well, I do not accept it. Place yourself in confinement. Sir," said he, stamping his foot and walking towards Frederic, "to prison for fifteen days with you."
"You have no longer the right to give me an order," said Frederic, detaching his epaulettes.
Sturm, exasperated, livid, foaming at the mouth, again raised his whip upon the chief of his staff, but this time he slashed his cheek and shoulder with it. Frederic, who until now had held himself in, uttered a cry of rage, made a bound aside and drew his sword.
"Imbecile," shouted Sturm, with a burst of laughter, "you will be shot after a court martial."
At this Frederic lost his head completely and threw himself upon the general, but he found four officers in his path. One whispered to him: "Save yourself; we will calm him."
"And I," said Frederic, "I who have been struck; who will calm me?"
"We give you our word of honour that we have not seen the blow," said the officers.
"But _I_ have _felt_ it. And as I have given my word of honour that one of us must die, I must act accordingly. Adieu, gentlemen."
Two of the officers trying to follow him:
"Thunders and tempests! gentlemen," called the general after them. "Come back; no one leaves this room except this madman who will be arrested by the provost marshal."
The officers came back hanging their heads. Frederic burst out of the room. The first person he met on the stairs was the old Baroness von Beling.
"Gracious heavens! what are you doing with a drawn sword?" she asked.
He put the sword in its scabbard. Then he ran to his wife and embraced her and the baby.
Ten minutes later an explosion was heard in Frederic"s room. Benedict, who was with Karl, rushed to it and burst open the door.
Frederic was lying on the floor dead, his forehead shattered by a bullet. He had left this note on the table:
"Struck in the face by General Sturm, who has refused to give me satisfaction, I could not live dishonoured. My last wish is that my wife in her widow"s dress should leave this evening for Berlin, and there beg from Her Majesty the Queen the remission of the subsidy of twenty-five million florins, which the town as I testify is unable to pay.
My friend, Benedict Turpin, will, I know, avenge me.
"FREDERIC, BARON VON BuLOW."
Benedict had just time to read this when he turned at a cry behind him.
It was from the poor widow.
Benedict, leaving Emma in her mother"s care, went to his room and wrote four notes, each in these terms:
"Baron Frederic von Bulow has just shot himself in consequence of the insult offered him by General Sturm, who has refused to give him satisfaction. His body lies in the house of the Chandroz family, and his friends are invited to pay their last respects there.
"His executor, "BENEDICT TURPIN.
"P.S.--You are asked to make the news of his death known as widely and publicly as possible."
Having signed them he sent them by Hans to four of Frederic"s most intimate friends. Then he went down to General Sturm"s rooms and sent in his name.
The name, "Benedict Turpin," was entirely unknown to General Sturm; he had with him the officers who had witnessed the quarrel with Frederic, and at once said: "Ask him to come in." Although he knew nothing of what had pa.s.sed the general"s face plainly showed traces of furious pa.s.sion.
Benedict came in.
"Sir," he said, "probably you are ignorant of the sequel to the occurrence between you and my friend, Frederic von Bulow--the incident which led to your insult. I have to inform you that my friend, since you refused to give him satisfaction, has blown out his brains."
The general started in spite of himself. The officers, dismayed, looked at each other.
"My friend"s last wishes are recorded on this piece of paper. I will read them."
The general, seized with nervous tremor, sat down.
Benedict read, speaking courteously and calmly.
"Struck in the face by General Sturm, who has refused to give me satisfaction, I could not live dishonoured."
"You hear me, sir?" Benedict asked.
The general made a sign of a.s.sent.
"My last wish is that my wife in her widow"s dress should leave this evening for Berlin, and there beg from Her Majesty the Queen the remission of the subsidy of twenty-five million florins which the town, as I testify, is unable to pay."
"I have the honour to inform you, sir," added Benedict, "that I am going to conduct Madame von Bulow to Berlin."