ared that, since the Baron had gone and
complained of me to the General, as though I were a mere servant of the
General's, he had, in the first place, lost me my post, and, in the
second place, treated me like a person to whom, as to one not qualified
to answer for himself, it was not even worth while to speak. Naturally,
I said, I felt insulted at this. Yet, comprehending as I did,
differences of years, of social status, and so forth (here I could
scarcely help smiling), I was not anxious to bring about further scenes
by going personally to demand or to request satisfaction of the Baron.
All that I felt was that I had a right to go in person and beg the
Baron's and the Baroness's pardon--the more so since, of late, I had
been feeling unwell and unstrung, and had been in a fanciful condition.
And so forth, and so forth. Yet (I continued) the Baron's offensive
behaviour to me of yesterday (that is to say, the fact of his referring
the matter to the General) as well as his insistence that the General
should deprive me of my post, had placed me in such a position that I
could not well express my regret to him (the Baron) and to his good
lady, for the reason that in all probability both he and the Baroness,
with the world at large, would imagine that I was doing so merely
because I hoped, by my action, to recover my post. Hence, I found
myself forced to request the Baron to express to me HIS OWN regrets, as
well as to express them in the most unqualified manner--to say, in
fact, that he had never had any wish to insult me. After the Baron had
done THAT, I should, for my part, at once feel free to express to him,
whole-heartedly and without reserve, my own regrets. "In short," I
declared in conclusion, "my one desire is that the Baron may make it
possible for me to adopt the latter course."

"Oh fie! What refinements and subtleties!" exclaimed De Griers.
"Besides, what have you to express regret for? Confess, Monsieur,
Monsieur--pardon me, but I have forgotten your name--confess, I say,
that all this is merely a plan to annoy the General? Or perhaps, you
have some other and special end in view? Eh?"

"In return you must pardon ME, mon cher Marquis, and tell me what you
have to do with it."

"The General--"

"But what of the General? Last night he said that, for some reason or
another, it behoved him to 'move with especial care at present;'
wherefore, he was feeling nervous. But I did not understand the
reference."

"Y