man through than to do it as though one were sticking
a mere pig. Is it not so?"

"True as sunshine, my dear count," I returned. "There's a vast difference
between the trade of butchering and the gentle art of murder."

De Grammont threw back his head, laughing softly. "Ah, good, good! Very
good, dear baron! The sentiment is beau-ti-ful and could not be better
expressed--in English. You should have been born across the channel."

"I wish I had been born any place, not excepting hell, rather than in
England," I answered.

"True, true, what a hole it is," returned the count, regretfully. "The
Englishman is one pig."

He saw by the expression of my face that while I might abuse my own
countrymen, I did not relish hearing it from others, so with true French
tact he held up his hand to keep me from speaking till he could correct
himself.

"Pardon, baron, I forgot the 'r,' The Englishman's affectation of a
virtue he despises makes of him a prig--not a pig. Non, non! Mon Dieu!
Not a pig--a prig! Is it not so?"

"True, true, count," I returned, unable to restrain a laugh. "It is the
affectation of virtue that makes frank vice attractive by comparison."

"Ah, true, true, my dear baron. May I proceed with my errand?"

"Proceed, count."

"Monsieur le Comte Hamilton begs me to say that he was called away from
London early to-day on the king's business, but that he will return
in four weeks. When he returns he will do himself the honor to send
me again, asking you to name a friend, unless you prefer to apologize,
which no gentleman would do in a case of this sort. You said, I am told,
that Monsieur le Comte lied. If you admit that he did not lie, of course
you admit that you did. So, im-pos-si-ble! There must be to fight!"

"Do you know, count, the cause of my having given Count Hamilton the
lie?" I asked.

"I did not inquire," he answered smilingly. "To me it was to carry the
message."

"George Hamilton is your friend, is he not?" I asked.

"Yes, but far more, he is the friend of my king, and will make entreaty
with my monarch for my return to France," answered De Grammont.

"It was because of Count Hamilton's insulting reference to his brother
that I used the ugly word," I returned.

"A-ah, that is different!" Then recovering himself quickly: "But I
undertook the mission. It is to finish. Monsieur George Hamilton? My
friend? My king's friend? If it had been known to me! But you have the
message of 'Sieur le Com