which the
recollection of the mysterious man inspired, that despite the permission
to tell what had happened she mentioned her adventure to no one, and did
not even complain to her neighbour, Madame Rapally, of the
inquisitiveness which had led the widow to spy on her actions.

CHAPTER VI

We left de Jars and Jeannin, roaring with laughter, in the tavern in the
rue Saint Andre-des-Arts.

"What!" said the treasurer, "do you really think that Angelique thought I
was in earnest in my offer?--that she believes in all good faith I intend
to marry her?"

"You may take my word for it. If it were not so, do you imagine she
would have been in such desperation? Would she have fainted at my threat
to tell you that I had claims on her as well as you? To get married!
Why, that is the goal of all such creatures, and there is not one of them
who can understand why a man of honour should blush to give her his name.
If you had only seen her terror, her tears! They would have either broken
your heart or killed you with laughter."

"Well," said Jeannin, "it is getting late. Are we going to wait for the
chevalier?"

"Let us call, for him."

"Very well. Perhaps he has made up his mind to stay. If so, we shall
make a horrible scene, cry treachery and perjury, and trounce your nephew
well. Let's settle our score and be off."

They left the wine-shop, both rather the worse for the wine they had so
largely indulged in. They felt the need of the cool night air, so
instead of going down the rue Pavee they resolved to follow the rue
Saint-Andre-des-Arts as far as the Pont Saint-Michel, so as to reach the
mansion by a longer route.

At the very moment the commander got up to leave the tavern the chevalier
had run out of the mansion at the top of his speed. It was not that he
had entirely lost his courage, for had he found it impossible to avoid
his assailant it is probable that he would have regained the audacity
which had led him to draw his sword. But he was a novice in the use of
arms, had not reached full physical development, and felt that the
chances were so much against him that he would only have faced the
encounter if there were no possible way of escape. On leaving the house
he had turned quickly into the rue Git-le-Coeur; but on hearing the door
close behind his pursuer he disappeared down the narrow and crooked rue
de l'Hirondelle, hoping to throw the Duc de Vitry off the scent. The
duke, however, though f