roceeded to
the General Depot of the Post. There he took out his watch, noted the
hour and minute, and handed in the letter.

The Chevalier was then in Versailles, so that Lotbiniere's note reached
him quickly, and he replied--

"MY DEAR SIR,--Your note is a great shock to me. I have not slept
nor lain down all night, on account of the matter of our young
countryman, which is one of the most unfortunate in the world. He
is as a son to me; and out of my feelings for him I beseech you to
treat him considerately, for you cannot know how sensitive and
fine-minded he is; the immediate ruin would kill him. Let us rather
combine to withdraw him more gradually from his false position.
Cannot the quarrel between the young men be softened by gentle
means? As for myself, I am ready to use my best influence with you
in that direction."

The Marquis read the letter over twice.

"He is asking quarter," he ultimately pronounced; "clemency is asked of
the victor: well, I will be clement. Lecour shall first write a humble
retraction of all his claims. This shall be left in my hands by him for
thirty days, during which the pretender shall leave France. De Lery will
then exhibit the retraction, with attestations both by myself and de
Bailleul."

De Lotbiniere contemplated the cupids frescoed on the frieze urbanely.
He was victor.

A knock came, and the Marquis de Repentigny was ushered in.

"See," said he, "what is going all over Paris"; and he gave a newspaper
passage to de Lotbiniere to read.

The item ran--

"The duel between the two Bodyguards, Monsieur de Lery and the Chevalier
de Repentigny, took place this morning at four o'clock in the woods of
Bois du Lac. It is said that on account of some provincial quarrel, the
former had insulted the latter by denying his gentility, of which,
however, the Chevalier had made the amplest proofs on entering his
regiment. During the duel, he displayed the firmest yet most amiable
spirit, and having disarmed M. de Lery upon the _coup de tierce_,
magnanimously refused to draw blood. The seconds then interfered and
declared the honour of the combatants satisfied."

"Devil! _Peste!_ Species of pig!" de Lotbiniere cried, his rage finding
too few words.

"I just now heard some more details from an officer of of the Lambesc
Dragoons," Repentigny continued. "My namesake was perfectly silent;
Louis, on the contrary, quite unlike his ordinary