e had need to do,
and enjoying it. After a few passes, de Sigognac became aware that his
adversary was preparing to give the decisive blow, and held himself
on his guard against a surprise; when it came, delivered with terrible
force, he parried it so successfully that Lampourde's sword was broken
short off in the encounter with his own trusty weapon, leaving only the
hilt and a few inches of the blade in his hand.

"If you have not got the rest of my sword in your body," cried
Lampourde, excitedly, "you are a great man!--a hero!--a god!"

"No," de Sigognac replied calmly, "it did not touch me; and now, if
I chose, I could pin you to the wall like a bat; but that would be
repugnant to me, though you did waylay me to take my life, and besides,
you have really amused me with your droll sayings.

"Baron," said Jacquemin Lampourde, calmly, "permit me, I humbly pray
you, to be henceforth, so long as I live, your devoted admirer, your
slave, your dog! I was to be paid for killing you--I even received a
portion of the money in advance, which I have spent. But never mind
that; I will pay it back, every penny of it, though I must rob some one
else to do it."

With these words he picked up de Sigognac's cloak, and having put it
carefully, even reverentially, over his shoulders, made him a profound
obeisance, and departed.

Thus the efforts of the Duke of Vallombreuse, to advance his suit and to
get rid of his rival, had once more failed ignominiously.

CHAPTER XIV. LAMPOURDE'S DELICACY

It is easy to imagine the frame of mind in which the Duke of
Vallombreuse returned home after his repulse by Isabelle, and her rescue
from his arms by the timely intervention of her friends, the comedians.
At sight of his face, fairly livid and contorted with suppressed rage,
his servants trembled and shrunk away from him--as well they might--for
his natural cruelty was apt to vent itself upon the first unhappy
dependent that happened to come in his way when his wrath was excited.
He was not an easy master to serve, even in his most genial mood--this
haughty, exacting young nobleman--and in his frantic fits of anger he
was more savage and relentless than a half-starved tiger. Upon entering
his own house he rushed through it like a whirlwind, shutting every
door behind him with such a violent bang that the very walls shook,
and pieces of the gilt mouldings round the panels were snapped off, and
scattered on the floor. When he reached hi