o the Club that very
evening.

He stood leaning against the marble chimney-piece, and stayed there
quietly in the middle of the principal saloon, doing his best to give no
one any advantage over him; but he scrutinized the faces about him, and
gave a certain vague offence to those assembled, by his inspection. Like
a dog aware of his strength, he awaited the contest on his own ground,
without necessary barking. Towards the end of the evening he strolled
into the cardroom, walking between the door and another that opened into
the billiard-room, throwing a glance from time to time over a group of
young men that had gathered there. He heard his name mentioned after a
turn or two. Although they lowered their voices, Raphael easily guessed
that he had become the topic of their debate, and he ended by catching a
phrase or two spoken aloud.

"You?"

"Yes, I."

"I dare you to do it!"

"Let us make a bet on it!"

"Oh, he will do it."

Just as Valentin, curious to learn the matter of the wager, came up
to pay closer attention to what they were saying, a tall, strong,
good-looking young fellow, who, however, possessed the impertinent stare
peculiar to people who have material force at their back, came out of
the billiard-room.

"I am deputed, sir," he said coolly addressing the Marquis, "to make you
aware of something which you do not seem to know; your face and person
generally are a source of annoyance to every one here, and to me in
particular. You have too much politeness not to sacrifice yourself to
the public good, and I beg that you will not show yourself in the Club
again."

"This sort of joke has been perpetrated before, sir, in garrison towns
at the time of the Empire; but nowadays it is exceedingly bad form,"
said Raphael drily.

"I am not joking," the young man answered; "and I repeat it: your health
will be considerably the worse for a stay here; the heat and light, the
air of the saloon, and the company are all bad for your complaint."

"Where did you study medicine?" Raphael inquired.

"I took my bachelor's degree on Lepage's shooting-ground in Paris, and
was made a doctor at Cerizier's, the king of foils."

"There is one last degree left for you to take," said Valentin; "study
the ordinary rules of politeness, and you will be a perfect gentlemen."

The young men all came out of the billiard-room just then, some disposed
to laugh, some silent. The attention of other players was drawn to the
matte