However, when considered as individuals, the two men relate to the vastly different French governments of Napoleon and the monarchy. What's more, the animosity between the two men is caused by their differences both in personality and in their ambitions but prevents them from destroying themselves.
"The Duel" begins with Lieutenant D'Hubert relaying a message to Lieutenant Feraud from the commanding general who is disgusted by Feraud's duel against a civilian from a prominent family earlier that day, ultimately ending in the death of the civilian. D'Hubert finds Feraud at the home of a wealthy woman and gives Feraud the message. The two men arrive at Feraud's lodging where, to the shock of D'Hubert, Feraud insists on a duel to avenge the disgrace of being called out while at the home of a lady. The two men fight, with D'Hubert reluctant and defensive, until D'Hubert realizes that Feraud means to kill him. D'Hubert ends up winning the duel by slicing Feraud's arm. D'Hubert worries that he will lose face amongst his peers and knows he will be punished by the general.
Later, the two men fight a second duel with D'Hubert being stabbed in the side. He is admonished by his colonel and refuses to give up the root cause of the duel only saying that it is not over a woman.
D'Hubert ends up being promoted to captain, which angers Feraud who believes that D'Hubert earned his promotion through flattery to the commander. He vows to earn a promotion since he is unable to fight D'Hubert while they are of different ranks. Feraud earns his promotion and the two men duel for the third time. This time D'Hubert succeeds in cutting Feraud across the forehead, ending the duel and causing a scar on Feraud's head.
Before the men can fight a third duel, the two men are both promoted to colonel and serve different commands. Eventually, they both serve in the sacred battalion as they flee to France after the defeat of the Army. During their flight, the two men are forced to rely on each other in battle, the first time they are amenable to each other.
Eventually, they are both promoted to general. Feraud is set to be made an example of, but D'Hubert secretly arranges for Feraud's name to be removed from the list of prospective victims of the restored monarchy. It is only after Feraud is retired and finds out that D'Hubert is given a command, that he challenges D'Hubert to a final duel with pistols.
By this time D'Hubert is engaged to a woman, Adèle, but feels awkward and undeserving of her love. The eve of his duel with Feraud, he fears that his wife-to-be will not mourn him and happily find another. The two men fight and D'Hubert bests Feraud telling the man that his life, according to the code of honor, belongs to him. D'Hubert leaves and finds Adèle upset on his bed because upon hearing the news of her betrothed in a duel, she ran to D'Hubert's home mourning thus proving her love to D'Hubert.
At this point, D'Hubert knows Adèle loves him and in a twist of fate, owes it to his nemesis, Feraud. He pays Feraud a pension without letting his enemy know who it came from him out of debt for finding out that Adèle loved him.
The duel between the two men becomes famous even decades after the actual first encounter. The fascination of the other characters with the origin of the duel reflects Conrad's obsession "with the obscure genesis, in human emotion or ideation, of an extraordinary event." (Nolte 225)
The two men could be considered a doppelganger, since they are such opposites. However, it's their differences that are core to the story. Both men relate directly to a particular aspect of the era.
Feraud is born a common man. He seems to delight in battle and courageous acts and disdains the staff officers, who he includes D'Hubert among. He considers them to be men who gain rank through flattery of superiors rather than through battle.
"He saw in this promotion an intrigue, a conspiracy, a cowardly manoeuvre. That colonel knew what he was doing. He had hastened to recommend his favourite for a step." (Conrad)
Feraud is constantly referred to as brash, fearless and hot-headed. For him, the only thing that is allowable in regard to the duel is the utter defeat of D'Hubert.
Feraud is a reference to Napoleon, who accepted nothing less than total defeat of the enemy. Napoleon was known to be a brash man who not only favored battle over concessions for peace, but actually enjoyed battle.
