The notary's nose;

40 THE NOTARY'S NOSE.
could doubt that the bellicose notary, so
favorably known in the fencing-schools,
was the professor chosen by Destiny to
indoctrinate French politeness into this
child of Islam.
" My dear boy," said old Villemaurin,
clapping his man on the shoulder, " our
position is excellent, for we have right on
our side; leave the rest to God. The result is not at all doubtful; you have a firm
heart and a quick hand. Always remember, though, that one ought not to lunge
deeply; for the duel is made to correct
fools, not to destroy them. Nobody but
a gawky would kill his man on the pretext of teaching him how to live."
The choice of arms fell by lot to our
amiable Ayvaz. But the notary and his
seconds winced a little upon learning that
he selected sabres.
" That is the weapon of soldiers," said
the Marquis, "or of vulgar fellows who