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“Palewski reached for the barrel and began rubbing it furiously with a rag. ‘Boutet, the finest gunmaker in France. Fowling piece. A three foot barrel, and exceptionally light, no? Boutet’s genius. I don’t suppose Boutet’s ever made more than a dozen of these and I’ve found two in the gun cupboard. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, you can polish up the other one. Truth is, I’d forgotten all about them. Seen enough guns by 1812 to think they were worth avoiding, I suppose.’