dly assassin, who fights duels only with those
unable to defend themselves. In order that you may see how much fear I
have of you, take this."

Saying these words, he leaped like a lion upon Saavedra, who had risen
to his feet, expecting some such move. Before he could raise his hand,
the Andalusian seized him by the arms, and brutally hurled him back into
the middle of the room, so that he reeled. Miguel was just on the point
of springing at him again; but at that instant he found himself held by
more gentle arms--those of his sister, who, with her face distorted, her
eyes flashing, her voice choking with sobs, said:--

"No, Miguel, no; you cannot measure yourself with this man. After what I
have just heard I should prefer a thousand times to die, or to spend my
whole life in disgrace, rather than to marry such a monster."

"Let go of me! Let go!" cried Miguel, trying to free himself from her
arms.

"No, my brother; kill me, put me into a convent, but don't expose your
own life.... Remember Maximina and your little son."

Don Alfonso at the same time stretched out his hand, and said calmly:--

"Before beginning a disgusting scene, unworthy of two gentlemen, such as
we are...."

"Of a gentleman like this! you are no gentleman," exclaimed Julia,
giving him a furious look and clinging to her brother.

"Before beginning a scene like this," the Andalusian went on to say,
making a contemptuous gesture at the interruption, "listen to one word,
Miguel. I have said that I am resolved not to fight, because _I do not
wish_ to run the risk of killing you, nor of dying. From here I am
going directly to Paris, and probably you will never see me again in
this world. If you insist on detaining me, I will meet force with force;
if you insult me, as I am in a strange country where no one knows me, it
will be of no great consequence to me. And if you should happen to tell
the story in Madrid, besides publishing your own dishonor, no one will
believe you; because it is not credible that a man who has fought
fourteen duels, five of them to the death, would through fear avoid a
challenge from a man who scarcely knows how to hold a weapon. So then
understand that my resolution is irrevocable."

"Well, then, I will kill you like a dog," said Miguel, whipping out a
revolver from his pocket.

"If you kill me (which I shall take good care that you do not do),"
retorted Saavedra, drawing another revolver, "you would go from here
strai