above all in haste to have done, so that he might resume a frame of mind more proper to it. Also he feared himself a little; by which I mean that his honour feared his nature. The circumstances of hi

t of his passion was spent he might betr

and since they had M. de Chabrillane to act for his cousin, and Andre–Lou

ssembled in the afternoon sunshine on the bowling-green behind the inn. They were entirely private, screened more or less from t

e an opponent - to divest himself either of his shoes or his coat. Tall, lithe, and athletic, he stood to face the no less tall, but very delicate and frail, M. de Vilmorin. The latter also disdained to

- looked on with quiet interest. Facing him on the other side of the combatants stood Andre–L

ssue could not really be very serious. If the obligations of Philippe's honour compelled him to cross swords with the man he had struck, M. de La Tour d'Azyr's birth compelled him no less to do no serious hurt to the unfledged lad he had s

ght body, his knees slightly flexed and converted into living springs, whilst M. de Vilmorin stood squarely

ents of what was now expected of him. But what could rudiments avail him here? Three disengages completed the exchanges, and then without any haste the Marquis slid his right foot along the mo

ight of it, he went down with his burden until he was kneeling on the damp turf. Philippe's limp head lay against Andre–Louis' left should

up at M. de La Tour d'Azyr, who stood surveying his wor

led him!" cri

cour

it. As he let the dainty fabric fall, he explained himself

nding with Andre–Louis. Still supporting the li

rderer, and make yourself q

pon his arm. Although a party throughout to the deed, the Chevalier was a little appalled now that

. "The lad is raving

t he said?" qu

. "Yourself, monsieur, you made confession when you gave me now

what, then?" asked

h you can turn its vision? Must you be told that it is a coward's part to kill the thing he fears, and doubly a coward's part to kill in this way? Had you stabbed him in the back with a knife, you would hav

k a step forward, holding now his sword like a w

ais! Let be,

ick and concentrated. "Let him complete his coward's work

the Seigneur de Gavrillac, and the well-known affection in which the Seigneur held him. And so he may have realized that if he pushed this matter further, he might find himself upon the horns of a dilemma. He would be confronted with the alternatives of shedd

with an incoherent ejaculation, between anger and contempt, he tossed

, his arms about the body of his dead friend, murmuring passi

e! Philippe . . . Don't you hea

eek that lay against Andre–Louis's was leaden-hued, the half-open eyes were

e little room to which they conveyed it, he knelt by the bed, and holding the dead man's hand in both his

ed by it still. For your eloquence and your arguments shall be my heritage from you. I will make them my own. It matters nothing that I do not believe in your gospel of freedom. I know it - every word of it; that is all that matters to our purpose, yours and mine. If all else fails, your thoughts s

of Christianity, had gone to his Maker with the sin of anger on his soul. It was horrible. Yet God would see the righteousness of that anger. And in no case - be man's interpretation of Divinity what i