h other
'Honneur au plus vaillant.' But why, my dear Haviland," turning, "why
should the valiant oppose each other, and half of them lose at each
battle? Is it not because they are divided? Union makes strength!"

"Yes, it is because they are divided by impassable gulfs," said
Chamilly, coldly. "Did you come to see me, Monsieur?"

"My dear fellow, can't we have a little private conversation together?
I am, of course, in the country to oppose your politics, but being in
Dormilliere, I cannot forget our social acquaintanceship."

"Do me the honor of saying here what you desire to say, Monsieur. I have
no political secrets from these friends."

"Pardon me, what I have to tell you, is strictly private."

"If it is in political matters, I do not wish it to be so."

"It is personal, I assure you."

"Then you will humor me, sir, by writing it."

"My friend, do not let party differences put grimaces at each other on
our real faces:--I would say rather party names; for I am in reality as
much a Red as yourself. If you were willing we would prove that to you
by changing the title, of our side to yours."

"At that moment, sir, there would be what I live for in the name
'Blue.'"

Picault drew a deliberative puff at his cigar, and lowered it again.

"You will not, then, do me the honor of a personal interview?" he asked,
smiling unprovokably still.

"Cease, cease!" replied Haviland, "It will soon be the noon of plain
words!"

The tempter with nice discernment, perceiving that this short and bold
interview was useless, and that he ought to withdraw, put his cigar
between his lips, puffed a "Good-day, gentlemen," and turned back
meditatively, along the path towards the pines of the Manoir.

"Au plaisir!" returned Zotique to him with facetious exactitude.

Haviland was furious.

"Shall the children of these men, enriched perhaps and elevated through
their crimes," he exclaimed, "pretend in time to come that they obtained
their 'Honorables,' and Knighthoods, and seats on the Bench of Justice,
and of Cabinets fairly from their country, and were the world's great
and true? Forbid it, and forbid that their names should live except in
memory of their paltriness!"

"But dear Mr. Chrysler," he added in a moment, "you must not take us for
party bigots. The masses of the Bleus are honest, and any day our own
name may be desecrated by a clique of knaves, our principles represented
by the other name."

CHAPTER XXII.