ou."

"You will not do that," said Dorsenne, quickly. "First, with regard
to official honor, there is only one law, is there not? Hafner was
acquitted and his adversaries condemned. You told me so the other
day.... And then, you forget the conversation we just had."

"Pardon," interrupted Florent, in his turn. "Monsieur de Montfanon, in
promising to assist me, has done me a great honor, which I shall never
forget. If there should result from it any annoyance to him I should be
deeply grieved, and I am ready to release him from his promise."

"No," said the Marquis, after another silence. "I will not take it
back.".... He was so magnanimous when his two or three hobbies were
not involved that the slightest delicacy awoke an echo in him. He again
extended his hand to Chapron and continued, but with an accent which
betrayed suppressed irritation: "After all, it does not concern us if
Monsieur Gorka has chosen to be represented in an affair of honor by one
whom he should not even salute.... You will, then, give our two names
to those two gentlemen.... and Dorsenne and I will await them, as is the
rule.... It is their place to come, since they are the proxies of the
person insulted."

"They have already arranged a meeting for this evening," replied
Chapron.

"What's arranged? With whom? For whom?" exclaimed Montfanon, a prey to a
fresh access of choler. "With you?... For us?... Ah, I do not like such
conduct where such grave matters are concerned.... The code is absolute
on that subject.... Their challenge once made, to which you, Monsieur
Chapron, have to reply by yes or no, these gentlemen should withdraw
immediately.... It is not your fault, it is Ardea's, who has allowed
that dabbler in spurious dividends to perform his part of intriguer....
But we will rectify all in the right way, which is the French.... And
where is the rendezvous?"

"I will read to you the letter which the Baron left for me with
Florent," said Dorsenne, who indeed read the very courteous note Hafner
had written to him, in which he excused himself for choosing his own
house as a rendezvous for the four witnesses. "One can not ignore so
polite a note."

"There are too many dear sirs, and too many compliments," said
Montfanon, brusquely. "Sit here," he continued, relinquishing his
armchair to Florent, "and inform the two men of our names and address,
adding that we are at their service and ignoring the first inaccuracy on
their part. Let them r