with Lincoln, had gone, under the pretext of a
visit to the country, to dine and sleep at the hotel. It was there that
Montfanon and Dorsenne met him to conduct him to the rendezvous in the
classical landau. Hardly had they reached the eminence of the circus of
Maxence, on the Appian Way, when they were passed by Boleslas's phaeton.

"You can rest very easy," said Montfanon to Florent. "How can one aim
correctly when one tires one's arm in that way?"

That had been the only allusion to the duel made between the three men
during the journey, which had taken about an hour. Florent talked as he
usually did, asking all sorts of questions which attested his care for
minute information--the most of which might be utilized by his
brother-in-law-and the Marquis had replied by evoking, with his habitual
erudition, several of the souvenirs which peopled that vast country,
strewn with tombs, aqueducts, ruined villas, with the line of the Monts
Albains enclosing them beyond.

Dorsenne was silent. It was the first affair at which he had assisted,
and his nervous anxiety was extreme.

Tragical presentiments oppressed him, and at the same time he apprehended
momentarily that, Montfanon's religious scruples reawakening, he would
not only have to seek another second, but would have to defer a solution
so near. However, the struggle which was taking place in the heart of the
"old leaguer" between the gentleman and the Christian, was displayed
during the drive only by an almost imperceptible gesture. As the carriage
passed the entrance to the catacomb of St. Calixtus, the former soldier
of the Pope turned away his head. Then he resumed the conversation with
redoubled energy, to pause in his turn, however, when the landau took, a
little beyond the Tomb of Caecilia, a transverse road in the direction of
the Ardeatine Way. It was there that 'l'Osteria del tempo perso' was
built, upon the ground belonging to Cibo, on which the duel was to take
place.

Before l'Osteria, whose signboard was surmounted by the arms of Pope
Innocent VIII, three carriages were already waiting--Gorka's phaeton, a
landau which had brought Cibo, Pietrapertosa and the doctor, and a simple
botte, in which a porter had come. That unusual number of vehicles seemed
likely to attract the attention of riflemen out for a stroll, but Cibo
answered for the discretion of the innkeeper, who indeed cherished for
his master the devotion of vassal to lord, still common in Italy.