"More appalling than the fury of a wild beast . . . was the . . . savage purpose man alone is capable of." A classic tale by Joseph Conrad, made available once again. Conrad (1857-1924) spent his most formative years in France and sailing under the French flag. Napoleon loomed large in his imagination. Conrad worked for decades to capture the spirit of the Napoleonic era, yet only a handful of tales ever saw print. Written at the peak of his career, The Duel has its origins in a true story that captivated the world. A fast-paced drama that touches on essential Conradian themes of character, obsession, the death urge, and the cosmic irony of man's desires set against a vast and indifferent world.