ken by an unexpected disputant.

The Lieutenant, who had stood by all the time, listening and tugging at
his grey moustache, suddenly spoke.

Look here, M. de Berault,' he said, confronting me roughly, 'I do not
fight duels. I am from the ranks. I proved my courage at Montauban in
'21, and my honour is good enough to take care of itself. So I say what
I like, and I ask you plainly what M. le Capitaine doubtless has in his
mind, but does not ask: Are you running with the hare, and hunting
with the hounds in this matter? In other words, have you thrown up
Monseigneur's commission in all but name, and become Madame's ally;
or--it is the only other alternative--are you getting at the man through
the women?'

'You villain!' I cried, glaring at him in such a rage and fury that
I could scarcely get the words out. This was plain speaking with a
vengeance! How dare you? How dare you say that I am false to the hand
that pays me?'

I thought that he would blench, but he did not. He stood up stiff as a
poker.

'I do not say; I ask!' he replied, facing me squarely, and slapping his
fist into his open hand to drive home his words the better. 'I ask you
whether you are playing the traitor to the Cardinal, or to these two
women? It is a simple question.'

I fairly choked. 'You impudent scoundrel!' I said.

'Steady, steady!' he replied. 'Pitch sticks where it belongs, and
nowhere else. But that is enough. I see which it is, M. le Capitaine;
this way a moment, by your leave.'

And in a very cavalier fashion he took his officer by the arm, and drew
him into a sidewalk, leaving me to stand in the sun, bursting with anger
and spleen. The gutter-bred rascal! That such a man should insult me,
and with impunity! In Paris, I might have made him fight, but here it
was impossible.

I was still foaming with rage when they returned.

'We have come to a determination,' the Lieutenant said, tugging his grey
moustachios, and standing like a ramrod. 'We shall leave you the
house and Madame, and you can take your own line to find the man, for
ourselves, we shall draw off our men to the village, and we shall take
our line. That is all, M. le Capitaine, is it not?'

'I think so,' the Captain muttered, looking anywhere but at me.

'Then we bid you good-day, Monsieur,' the Lieutenant added, and in a
moment he turned his companion round, and the two retired up the walk
to the house, leaving me to look after them in a black fit of rage and
inc