f
passion stirring in him. Behind him several members of the group
were approaching more slowly. The others--like Andre-Louis' two
companions--remained at gaze.

"You spoke of me, I think," said the Marquis quietly.

"I spoke of an assassin--yes. But to these my friends." Andre-Louis'
manner was no less quiet, indeed the quieter of the two, for he was the
more experienced actor.

"You spoke loudly enough to be overheard," said the Marquis, answering
the insinuation that he had been eavesdropping.

"Those who wish to overhear frequently contrive to do so."

"I perceive that it is your aim to be offensive."

"Oh, but you are mistaken, M. le Marquis. I have no wish to be
offensive. But I resent having hands violently laid upon me, especially
when they are hands that I cannot consider clean, In the circumstances I
can hardly be expected to be polite."

The elder man's eyelids flickered. Almost he caught himself admiring
Andre-Louis' bearing. Rather, he feared that his own must suffer by
comparison. Because of this, he enraged altogether, and lost control of
himself.

"You spoke of me as the assassin of Lagron. I do not affect to
misunderstand you. You expounded your views to me once before, and I
remember."

"But what flattery, monsieur!"

"You called me an assassin then, because I used my skill to dispose of a
turbulent hot-head who made the world unsafe for me. But how much better
are you, M. the fencing-master, when you oppose yourself to men whose
skill is as naturally inferior to your own!"

M. de La Tour d'Azyr's friends looked grave, perturbed. It was really
incredible to find this great gentleman so far forgetting himself as to
descend to argument with a canaille of a lawyer-swordsman. And what was
worse, it was an argument in which he was being made ridiculous.

"I oppose myself to them!" said Andre-Louis on a tone of amused protest.
"Ah, pardon, M. le Marquis; it is they who chose to oppose themselves
to me--and so stupidly. They push me, they slap my face, they tread on my
toes, they call me by unpleasant names. What if I am a fencing-master?
Must I on that account submit to every manner of ill-treatment from
your bad-mannered friends? Perhaps had they found out sooner that I am a
fencing-master their manners would have been better. But to blame me for
that! What injustice!"

"Comedian!" the Marquis contemptuously apostrophized him. "Does it alter
the case? Are these men who have opposed you men