his reputation
upon Bardelys as he had imposed it upon a hundred others, but Bardelys
was over-tough for his teeth. He sent that notorious young gentleman
a challenge, and on the following morning he left him dead in the
horsemarket behind the Hotel Vendome. But far from a murder, monsieur,
it was an act of justice, and the most richly earned punishment with
which ever man was visited."

"Even if so," cried the Vicomte in some surprise, "why all this heat to
defend a brawler?"

"A brawler?" I repeated after him. "Oh, no. That is a charge his worst
enemies cannot make against Bardelys. He is no brawler. The duel in
question was his first affair of the kind, and it has been his last,
for unto him has clung the reputation that had belonged until then to La
Vertoile, and there is none in France bold enough to send a challenge
to him." And, seeing what surprise I was provoking, I thought it well to
involve another with me in his defence. So, turning to the Chevalier,
"I am sure," said I, "that Monsieur de Saint-Eustache will confirm my
words."

Thereupon, his vanity being all aroused, the Chevalier set himself
to paraphrase all that I had said with a heat that cast mine into a
miserable insignificance.

"At least," laughed the Vicomte at length, "he lacks not for champions.
For my own part, I am content to pray Heaven that he come not to
Lavedan, as he intended."

"Mais voyons, Gaston," the Vicomtesse protested, "why harbour prejudice?
Wait at least until you have seen him, that you may judge him for
yourself."

"Already have I judged him; I pray that I may never see him."

"They tell me he is a very handsome man," said she, appealing to me
for confirmation. Lavedan shot her a sudden glance of alarm, at which I
could have laughed. Hitherto his sole concern had been his daughter, but
it suddenly occurred to him that perhaps not even her years might set
the Vicomtesse in safety from imprudences with this devourer of hearts,
should he still chance to come that way.

"Madame," I answered, "he is accounted not ill-favored." And with a
deprecatory smile I added, "I am said somewhat to resemble him."

"Say you so?" she exclaimed, raising her eyebrows, and looking at me
more closely than hitherto. And then it seemed to me that into her
face crept a shade of disappointment. If this Bardelys were not more
beautiful than I, then he was not nearly so beautiful a man as she had
imagined. She turned to Saint-Eustache.

"It