12 MENZENDORF. 



out without invoking the parental intervention. I call 

 to mind an incident of that time, which I will relate, 

 as it is characteristic of our youthful life. 



My brother Hans and I were wont to assail, and 

 not in vain, crows and birds of prey with self-fabri- 

 cated cross-bows, in the use of which we attained great 

 precision. One day. a dispute arising in connection 

 with the chase. I took the liberty of putting in prac- 

 tice the right of the stronger. My brother declared 

 this to be base, and demanded that the dispute should 

 be settled by a duel, in which my superior strength 

 would give me no advantage. I found that equitable, 

 and we proceeded to a cross-bow duel correct accor- 

 ding to the rules, which we had learnt from occasional 

 stories of my father of his student life. Ten paces 

 were measured off. and at my word of command 

 "Now" we both discharged our feathered arrows with 

 knitting-needle for head at one another. Brother Hans 

 had aimed well. His arrow hit the tip of my nose and 

 penetrated under the skin to the root. Our joint outcry 

 brought the father on the scene, who pulled out the 

 arrow and thereupon prepared for the chastisement of 

 the delinquent by taking out his pipe -stem. This con- 

 flicted with my sense of right. I stepped with decision 

 between father and brother and said: "Father it isn't 

 Hans' fault, we have been fighting a duel." I see still 

 the puzzled face of my father, who in justice could not 

 punish what he had done himself and considered honour- 

 able. He quietly replaced the pipe-stem in the bowl 

 adding only: "In future leave such nonsense alone." 



