Captain Jean de Lacey,
Having agreed to assist Major Doutron in this matter, it seems to me
that Captain HSE is asking for unreasonable concessions in this
discussion. As is proper, the Captain has the choice of the tools for the
discussion. And no-one would demand that a discussion be continued once
one side has acknowledged the other as correct.
However, to ask the Major to concede the point on the basis of a single
telling point from the Captain would seem a bit excessive even for modern
Paris. Your implication that it would be ungentlemanly for the Major to
continue the discussion if he were the first to lose a minor question in
the matter seems un-called for. We have traditions in these matters!
Yours,
Lt. General Baron Soire de Success
First Division Commander
Former Heavy Brigade Commander
Former commander of the ALC
PS: It would be equally ungentlemanly for either participant in a
discussion to continue once sufficient telling points have been established
to make the result clear.
At 09:41 AM 3/16/01 +0000, Mike Pope wrote:
>Major Doutron
>
>May I point out that my immediate commander, Major de Sevigny, is the
>Commissioner of Public Safety? It would look ill were I to agree to second
>someone in an illegal duel which could lead to the death of one of France's
>soldiers, when she needs them so sorely. The point of a duel, if you will
>excuse the pun, is to decide a matter of honour - in this case, whether
>there is a Major in the Archduke Leopold Cuirassiers who is as lacking in
>military wisdom as you are in gentlemanly behaviour, or whether Captain
>Serf-Edly is badly misinformed in this matter. There is no honour
>whatsoever in pushing a duel beyond the wishes of one of the participants.
>Should you decline to surrender yourself after being wounded first then that
>is your affair, but I would strongly recommend that you rethink the idea as
>that would immediately entail you breaking the law, and you could very
>easily find yourself at the front for a long time to come.
>
>A matter of honour is always deemed to be settled when one of the gentlemen
>surrenders, no matter how soon that may be. However, should you be wounded
>first and yet fail to surrender, but fight on until your opponent surrenders
>at first blood, you will merely be showing your lack of breeding. I will be
>happy to rectify that situation at your earliest convenience following your
>recovery.
>
>I await the attendance of your second to make final arrangements.
>
>Jean de Lacey
>Captain
>A Troop Commanding
>Royal Foot Guards
