Something exploded in Pierre's brain and he heard his own cry of anguish
as if from a long way off. He felt tears running from eyes blinded with
fury.

And when his eyes cleared, all he could see was Raoul's sneer. He burned
to smash his fist into those so-white teeth under that black mustache,
silence that filthy tongue. He lunged forward, fist drawn back.

Raoul caught his arm in an iron grip, but the force of Pierre's rush
threw his brother back against the great chimney. Pierre reached to grab
Raoul's neck and slam his head against the stone.

"Stop!" Elysee cried.

The old man stood up more quickly than Pierre had seen him do in years
and pushed himself between them.

Suddenly afraid that his father might be hurt, Pierre forced himself to
let go of Raoul. Every muscle in his body went rigid, and he trembled
from head to foot.

"You must control yourselves," Elysee said. "Pierre, you raised your
hand against your brother."

Pierre took a step backward, still shaking. How could this father
reproach _him_, after what Raoul had just said?

_The voice of Reason_, Pierre thought bitterly. _He does not know there
are some feelings that cannot be reasoned with._

Pierre realized that he was still crying. Raoul, having let go of his
arm, was looking at him with disgust.

"I loved Sun Woman," Pierre stammered. "For him to speak of her so--to
speak so of our love--"

"Surely," Elysee said, "Raoul spoke in the heat of anger."

"I don't take back a word," Raoul said in a hard, flat voice.

But, though it was hard to read the features behind that fierce black
mustache, Pierre thought he saw uncertainty in Raoul's face. As if Raoul
finally understood that he had gone too far.

_He drove me to try to hit him. He's never pushed me that far before._

Perhaps, Pierre thought, Raoul would now apologize. Appalled at his own
words, he might seek to be reconciled.

_I will make no more overtures. He meets every attempt with insults._

Pierre waited. He could see Raoul struggling within himself. Perhaps
Papa's suggestion that he might lose his inheritance had made him
realize what consequences a rift between them could have.

_Of course, I would never disinherit Raoul. There's no one else who
could manage the estate after I die. And I may be gone sooner than
anyone expects._

Pierre saw Raoul's broad chest swell as he took a deep breath. Now,
thought Pierre, surely Raoul was going to apologize and ask forgiveness,