Italian when you were in your cradle, and at the Spanish while you were
a page; change your master. Leave Berthelot, who has already taught you
all he knows, and take Bois-Robert; and may the devil fly away with me,
if in six months you are not as good a fencer as myself."

"Thanks for your lesson," said Ravanne, taking the hand of the captain,
while two tears, which he could not restrain, flowed down his cheeks; "I
hope it will profit me."

And, receiving his sword, he did what the captain had already
done--sheathed it. They then both cast their eyes on their companions to
see how things were going. The combat was over. Lafare was seated on the
ground, with his back leaning against a tree: he had been run through
the body, but happily the point of the sword had struck against a rib,
and had glanced along the bone, so that the wound seemed at first worse
than it really was; still he had fainted--the shock had been so violent.
D'Harmental was on his knees before him, endeavoring to staunch the
blood with his handkerchief. Fargy and Valef had wounded each other at
the same moment. One was struck in the thigh, the other run through the
arm; both had apologized, promising to be friends for the future.

"Look, young man," said the captain, showing Ravanne these different
episodes of the field of battle. "Look on that, and meditate. There is
the blood of three brave gentlemen flowing--probably for a folly."

"Faith, captain," answered Ravanne, quite calmed down, "I believe you
are right, and that you are the only one of us all that has got common
sense."

At that moment Lafare opened his eyes and recognized D'Harmental in the
man who was tending him.

"Chevalier," said he, "take a friend's advice; send me a kind of surgeon
whom you will find in the carriage, and whom I brought with me in case
of accident. Then gain Paris as fast as possible. Show yourself to-night
at the opera ball, and if they ask you about me, say that it is a week
since you have seen me. As to me, you may be quite easy. Your name shall
not pass my lips; and if you get into any unpleasant discussion with the
police, let me know at once, and we will manage so that the affair shall
have no consequences."

"Thanks, Monsieur le Marquis," answered D'Harmental, "I quit you because
I leave you in better hands than mine; otherwise, believe me, nothing
should have separated me from you until I had seen you in your bed."

"Pleasant journey, my dear Valef," s