A Duel (Annotated)

Richard Marsh's *A Duel* is a compact Victorian tale of conflict in which the outward ritual of combat becomes a test of character, reputation, and moral authority. Marsh uses the conventions of sensation fiction—secrecy, social peril, reversals, and mounting suspense—to examine how apparently civilized codes can conceal fear, vanity, and coercion. The book's interest lies not merely in the prospe...