r
life!"

"Willingly!" I said, with a mocking smile, restraining by a gesture the
hasty exclamations of those around me who resented this fresh
attack--"most willingly, caro signor! But excuse me if I fail to see
wherein you consider yourself wronged. The lady who is now my fiancee
has not the slightest affection for you--she told me so herself. Had
she entertained any such feelings I might have withdrawn my
proposals--but as matters stand, what harm have I done you?"

A chorus of indignant voices interrupted me. "Shame on you, Ferrari!"
cried Gualdro. "The count speaks like a gentleman and a man of honor.
Were I in his place you should have had no word of explanation
whatever. I would not have condescended to parley with you--by Heaven I
would not!"

"Nor I!" said the duke, stiffly.

"Nor I!" said Mancini.

"Surely," said Luziana Salustri, "Ferrari will make the amende
honorable."

There was a pause. Each man looked at Ferrari with some anxiety. The
suddenness of the quarrel had sobered the whole party more effectually
than a cold douche. Ferrari's face grew more and more livid till his
very lips turned a ghastly blue--he laughed aloud in bitter scorn.
Then, walking steadily up to me, with his eyes full of baffled
vindictiveness, he said, in a low clear tone:

"You say that--you say she never cared for me--YOU! and I am to
apologize to you! Thief, coward, traitor--take that for my apology!"
And he struck me across the mouth with his bare hand so fiercely that
the diamond ring he wore (my diamond ring) cut my flesh and slightly
drew blood. A shout of anger broke from all present! I turned to the
Marquis D'Avencourt.

"There can be but one answer to this," I said, with indifferent
coldness. "Signor Ferrari has brought it on himself. Marquis, will you
do me the honor to arrange the affair?"

The marquis bowed, "I shall be most happy!"

Ferrari glared about him for a moment and then said, "Freccia, you will
second me?"

Captain Freccia shrugged his shoulders. "You must positively excuse
me," he said. "My conscience will not permit me to take up such a
remarkably wrong cause as yours, cara mio! I shall be pleased to act
with D'Avencourt for the count, if he will permit me." The marquis
received him with cordiality, and the two engaged in earnest
conversation. Ferrari next proffered his request to his quondam friend
De Hamal, who also declined to second him, as did every one among the
company. He bit his lip