y, and did not appear
again for some time after. The four onlookers at this strange spectacle
felt deeply moved by the sight of Valentin as he leaned on his servant's
arm; he was wasted and pale; he limped as if he had the gout, went with
his head bowed down, and said not a word. You might have taken them
for a couple of old men, one broken with years, the other worn out with
thought; the elder bore his age visibly written in his white hair, the
younger was of no age.

"I have not slept all night, sir;" so Raphael greeted his antagonist.

The icy tone and terrible glance that went with the words made the real
aggressor shudder; he know that he was in the wrong, and felt in secret
ashamed of his behavior. There was something strange in Raphael's
bearing, tone, and gesture; the Marquis stopped, and every one else was
likewise silent. The uneasy and constrained feeling grew to a height.

"There is yet time," he went on, "to offer me some slight apology;
and offer it you must, or you will die sir! You rely even now on your
dexterity, and do not shrink from an encounter in which you believe all
the advantage to be upon your side. Very good, sir; I am generous, I am
letting you know my superiority beforehand. I possess a terrible power.
I have only to wish to do so, and I can neutralize your skill, dim your
eyesight, make your hand and pulse unsteady, and even kill you outright.
I have no wish to be compelled to exercise my power; the use of it costs
me too dear. You would not be the only one to die. So if you refuse to
apologize to me, not matter what your experience in murder, your ball
will go into the waterfall there, and mine will speed straight to your
heart though I do not aim it at you."

Confused voices interrupted Raphael at this point. All the time that he
was speaking, the Marquis had kept his intolerably keen gaze fixed upon
his antagonist; now he drew himself up and showed an impassive face,
like that of a dangerous madman.

"Make him hold his tongue," the young man had said to one of his
seconds; "that voice of his is tearing the heart out of me."

"Say no more, sir; it is quite useless," cried the seconds and the
surgeon, addressing Raphael.

"Gentlemen, I am fulfilling a duty. Has this young gentleman any final
arrangements to make?"

"That is enough; that will do."

The Marquis remained standing steadily, never for a moment losing sight
of his antagonist; and the latter seemed, like a bird before a