102 HEIDELBERG- -A SCHLAGER FECHT. bandaged in a most surgical manner, and the swordarm of each man is also padded to such a degree that it becomes necessary for the second to assist him by carrying it about for him as soon as the pad is adjusted; a small cap, with an iron peak to protect the eyes, completes the costume. As soon as both the combatants were dressed for the fight, we all moved into an adjoining hall; at one end of which, and on opposite sides of it, the combatants take their position, each being attended by a couple of seconds, the duty of one being to stand by his man to ward off false blows and the like (and he seemed to have as much work, and to require almost a quicker eye than those actually engaged), and the other to take charge of the sword-arm, to arrange the dress, and to replace the weapon by another in case of a fracture. The president of the fight, a small, thin, though well-made man, with a less number of scars than most of the men, next took up his position in the centre of the hall, and seeing that all was ready, shouted, 'Silentium!' In an instant there was a dead silence, and the combatants might be observed panting with excitement; whether they were also 'eager for the fray,' is another question. Fertig! loss! cries one of the seconds, and they rush in HEIDELBERG- -A SCHLAGER FECHT. 103 upon one another and clash their swords together some three or four strokes, when one of the seconds interposes his sword, and crying 'Halt !' retires with his man to have his sword straightened, or to give him rest, as the case may be. Again they cry Fertig! loss! and again, after a few passes are made, they retire, this is repeated a third time, when the President gives leave for a little rest, and the combatants walk up and down the hall, each having his arm carried horizontally for him, and each man panting with excitement and exertion; for as it has been said before, the pads and bandages are very heavy. It appeared to us that one of the most frequent, and therefore we supposed the principal stroke. aimed at, was to strike your sword low down, perhaps four inches from the handle upon your adversary's bandaged arm, so that the end of the weapon (the only part that is sharpened) should flick itself in against your opponent's face. 'Silentium!' is again called, and going to work with renewed vigour, the Hanoverian receives a gash on the left nostril. He is led up to the President, who, on measuring the wound, finds that it is not of sufficient length or depth to decide the battle; the combat is therefore once more re 104 HEIDELBERG- -A SCHLÄGER FECHT. newed; but now they fight with more energy than ever, and the Suabian breaks his sword, the broken end whizzing over to the other end of the room, and perilling the eyes of the bystanders. At length, after another rest and a few more attacks or rounds, as perhaps we should call them, the president cries, Halt! and the fight is over, twenty minutes having elapsed, which is the full amount of time allowed for giving and receiving satisfaction. If at first he who considered himself insulted had challenged his man to fight him for an inch only, this battle would have been concluded when the Hanoverian was wounded, but he con. sidered himself aggrieved to the length of two inches, and half an inch deep. And this is the rule, that according to the magnitude of the insult, so great must the wound be, and sometimes, though not often, the combat is mortal. We had seen quite enough of this sort of thing, so capping our company, we left them to fight out about half a dozen more battles in the same way; but how many more were on that day similarly beautified, we never learnt. It seems quite as unintelligible to the German student how we rub on together at our Universities without quarrelling, as their practice of thus dis |