There will not be much need of blood-letting, I fancy.

What! not brought your bone-saw with you, eh?
My friend, your thoughtlessness is disgraceful! It happens in duels sometimes that a man is not shot through the head or the heart straight off; but the bullet may hit him in the arm or leg, and then if the bone is injured and he has to wait for an amputation till he is carried into town erysipelas may set in." "Take your places, gentlemen! take your places!" shouted Rudolf, putting an end to this cruel prolonging of the agony.
Abellino thereupon pierced his fourth linden leaf at twenty-five paces.
"Those pistols must be put aside, as they are evidently old acquaintances," said Rudolf.

"Mine are new." "We agree," replied Conrad; "only you must take care," he continued, turning towards Abellino, "that when you prepare to take aim you do not lower your arm from your shoulder downwards, but raise it from your hip gradually upwards, so that if you aim at the chest, and the pistol kicks downwards, you may be able to hit him in the stomach, but if it kicks upwards you may hit him in the skull." Meanwhile they were loading the pistols, dropping the bullets into the barrels in every one's sight.

The challenged party then chose one of them.
Then the antagonists were placed at the two extremities of the ground, and the barriers were indicated by white pocket-handkerchiefs.
The seconds stepped aside, forming two separate groups.

Conrad placed himself behind a huge poplar, capable of shielding even his bulky frame.
A clapping of hands, thrice repeated, was the signal for the opponents to advance.
Alexander remained standing in his place for some seconds, holding his pistol in his hand pointed downwards.