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The charming Isabelle shall crown the conqueror in this tournament, as the fair ladies crowned the victorious knights in the grand old days of chivalry. But now allow me to retire and finish my toilet. The Chevalier de Vidalinc will be with you directly. I kiss your hand, valiant marquis, as our Spanish neighbours say."
The Chevalier de Vidalinc, his friend and confidant, tried in vain to draw him into conversation; he replied only by monosyllables, or not at all, to the other's brilliant sallies.
The Chevalier de Vidalinc sat in a low chair beside his friend, and gave him from time to time a spoonful of the tonic prescribed by the surgeon, but refrained from breaking the silence into which he had fallen. Vallombreuse lay perfectly still for a while; but it was easy to see, in spite of his affected calmness, that his blood was boiling with suppressed rage.
"I don't know how I am to wait for this wound to heal," the duke said, after a short pause, "I am so impatient to provoke him again, and have the opportunity to revenge myself." "That would be a very hazardous proceeding, and one that I should strongly advise you not to attempt," Vidalinc replied in an earnest tone.
They are to fall upon him and beat him until they leave him for dead upon the pavement, but to be careful not to kill him outright it might be thought that I was afraid of him if they did, you know," in an aside to Vidalinc. "I will be responsible for the consequences; and with every blow they are to cry, 'This is from the Duke of Vallombreuse, so that he may understand plainly what it means."
The Duke of Vallombreuse and the Chevalier de Vidalinc, followed by a surgeon, arrived at the rendezvous only a few seconds after the others, and the four gentlemen saluted each other with the haughty courtesy and frigid politeness becoming to well-bred men meeting for such a purpose.
If he were only a gentleman I would fight him, on foot or on horseback, with swords, daggers, pistols, anything in the shape of a weapon, until I had him down, with my foot on his breast, and could spit into the face of his corpse." "Perhaps he is one," said Vidalinc; "his audacious defiance looks like it. You remember what Maitre Bilot told you about Isabelle's favoured lover?
"A needless recommendation that," chimed in the Chevalier de Vidalinc; "they go at it like lions -we shall have a superb duel."
Isabelle has refused even to think of the Chevalier de Vidalinc, or the Marquis de l'Estang, as aspirants to her hand both right handsome, attractive, eligible young fellows, by Jove! but I am of opinion that she will accept, without very much persuasion, the Baron de Sigognac." The next day the duke and the baron were riding gaily forward, side by side, on the road to Paris.
"I am sorry," said Vidalinc, after the servant had closed the door behind him, "that you mean to treat this man so roughly, for after all he showed a spirit superior to his position, and becoming a gentleman. Suppose you let me go and pick a quarrel with him, and kill him for you in a duel.
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