and when, finally, no answer came he did not appear to be displeased.
"I believe that you are the very man that I want," said he. "Brave and clever men surround me upon every side. But a brave man who" He did not finish his sentence, and for my own part I could not understand what he was driving at. I contented myself with assuring him that he could count upon me to the death.
"You are, as I understand, a good swordsman?" said he.
"Tolerable, sire," I answered.
"You were chosen by your regiment to fight the champion of the Hussars of Chambarant?" said he.
I was not sorry to find that he knew so much of my exploits.
"My comrades, sire, did me that honour," said I.
"And for the sake of practice you insulted six fencing masters in the week before your duel?"
"I had the privilege of being out seven times in as many days, sire," said I.
"And escaped without a scratch?"
"The fencing master of the 23rd Light Infantry touched me on the left elbow, sire."
"Let us have no more child's play of the sort, monsieur," he cried, turning suddenly to that cold rage of his which was so appalling. "Do you
