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During a moment of silence Christophe heard him talking about the friendship of Wagner and King Ludwig, with all sorts of nasty innuendoes. "Stop!" he shouted, bringing his fist down on the table by his side. Everybody turned in amazement. Lucien Levy-Coeur met Christophe's eyes and paled a little, and said: "Were you speaking to me?" "You hound!... Yes," said Christophe. He sprang to his feet.
As a matter of fact, she knew the worth of such a friend; but she was not ready to make any sacrifice for a friendship: she was not ready to sacrifice anything for anybody: she just wanted everything to go smoothly and pleasantly, And so she concealed from Christophe the fact that she went on receiving Lucien Levy-Coeur: she lied with the easy charm of the young women of her class who, from their childhood, are expert in the practice which is so necessary for those who wish to keep their friends and please everybody.
Levy-Coeur, with a little hesitation, took them in his. Christophe said: "You have lost her!..." The emotion in his voice touched Levy-Coeur. It was so unexpected! He felt inexpressibly grateful.... They talked for a little sadly and confusedly. When they parted nothing was left of all that had divided them. They had fought: it was inevitable, no doubt: each man must fulfil the law of his nature!
To avoid being left alone with Olivier, contrary to his habit, Christophe went to an At Home at the Roussins'. He was asked to play. He consented unwillingly. However, after a moment or two he became absorbed in the music he was playing, until, glancing up, he saw Lucien Levy-Coeur standing in a little group, watching him with an ironical stare.
For some moments past he had been conscious that he was going to make a fool of himself: but no power on earth could have kept him from it. Lucien Levy-Coeur, in his high falsetto voice, was explaining the aims and secret thoughts of great artists to a circle of ladies.
He was even more amazed when, a few days later, he saw that Roussin was perfectly serious: and his amazement grew to stupefaction when he heard that Sylvain Kohn, Goujart, and Lucien Levy-Coeur were taking it up. He had to admit that their personal animosity had yielded to their love of art: and he was much surprised. The only man who was not eager to see his work produced was himself.
Christophe's irritation was fed unconsciously by a little jealousy. And into Colette's coaxing tricks there crept a little, a very little, love, all of which made the rupture only the more violent. One day when Christophe had caught Colette out in a flagrant lie he gave her a definite alternative: she must choose between Lucien Levy-Coeur and himself.
Christophe still spoke French very badly, interlarding it with slang, and often with very coarse expressions which he had picked up, and, like many foreigners, used wrongly, and he was incapable of outwitting the tactics of Lucien Levy-Coeur and he raged furiously against his gentle irony.
"He is doing that all right," said Christophe. "He is destroying it so thoroughly that I don't see what is going to be left for you to build up again. Do you think there'll be timber enough left for your new house? And are you even sure that the worms have not crept into your building-yard?" Lucien Levy-Coeur was not the only nibbler at Socialism.
Lucien Levy-Coeur stood at his ease waiting for Count Bloch, who had the ordering of the duel, to give the signal. He regarded the affair as a mere formality. He was an excellent shot, and was fully aware of his adversary's want of skill.
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