on arme at Gavrillac. Not that the death of
Philippe de Vilmorin lay heavily upon M. de La Tour d'Azyr's conscience.
He had accounted himself fully justified of his action. It was that the
whole thing as his memory revived it for him made an unpleasant picture:
that distraught boy kneeling over the bleeding body of the friend he
had loved, and almost begging to be slain with him, dubbing the Marquis
murderer and coward to incite him.

Meanwhile, leaving now the subject of the death of Lagron, the
deputy-suppleant had at last brought himself into order, and was
speaking upon the question under debate. He contributed nothing of value
to it; he urged nothing definite. His speech on the subject was very
brief--that being the pretext and not the purpose for which he had
ascended the tribune.

When later he was leaving the hall at the end of the sitting, with Le
Chapelier at his side, he found himself densely surrounded by deputies
as by a body-guard. Most of them were Bretons, who aimed at screening
him from the provocations which his own provocative words in the
Assembly could not fail to bring down upon his head. For a moment the
massive form of Mirabeau brought up alongside of him.

"Felicitations, M. Moreau," said the great man. "You acquitted yourself
very well. They will want your blood, no doubt. But be discreet,
monsieur, if I may presume to advise you, and do not allow yourself to
be misled by any false sense of quixotry. Ignore their challenges. I do
so myself. I place each challenger upon my list. There are some fifty
there already, and there they will remain. Refuse them what they are
pleased to call satisfaction, and all will be well." Andre-Louis smiled
and sighed.

"It requires courage," said the hypocrite.

"Of course it does. But you would appear to have plenty."

"Hardly enough, perhaps. But I shall do my best."

They had come through the vestibule, and although this was lined
with eager Blacks waiting for the young man who had insulted them so
flagrantly from the rostrum, Andre-Louis' body-guard had prevented any
of them from reaching him.

Emerging now into the open, under the great awning at the head of the
Carriere, erected to enable carriages to reach the door under cover,
those in front of him dispersed a little, and there was a moment as he
reached the limit of the awning when his front was entirely uncovered.
Outside the rain was falling heavily, churning the ground into thick
mud, and for