will you fight?"

For a moment he wavered, and surely meseemed that I had drawn him. Then:

"No," he cried passionately. "I will not do dishonour to my sword." And
turning he made for the door, leaving me baffled.

"Go, sir," I shouted, "but fame shall stalk fast behind you. Liar and
craven will I dub you throughout the whole of France."

He stopped 'neath the lintel, and faced me again.

"Fool," he sneered. "You'll need dispatch to spread my fame so far. By
this time to-morrow you'll be arrested. In three days you will be in the
Bastille, and there shall you lie until you rot to carrion."

"Loud threats again!" I laughed, hoping by the taunt to learn more.

"Loud perchance, but not empty. Learn that the Cardinal has knowledge of
your association with Mancini, and means to separate you. An officer
of the guards is on his way to Blois. He is at Meung by now. He bears
a warrant for your arrest and delivery to the governor of the Bastille.
Thereafter, none may say what will betide." And with a coarse burst of
laughter he left me, banging the door as he passed out.

For a moment I stood there stricken by his parting words. He had sought
to wound me, and in this he had succeeded. But at what cost to himself?
In his blind rage, the fool had shown me that which he should have
zealously concealed, and what to him was but a stinging threat was to me
a timely warning. I saw the necessity for immediate action. Two things
must I do; kill St. Auban first, then fly the Cardinal's warrant as
best I could. I cast about me for means to carry out the first of these
intentions. My eye fell upon my riding-whip, lying on a chair close to
my hand, and the sight of it brought me the idea I sought. Seizing it, I
bounded out of the room and down the stairs, three steps at a stride.

Along the corridor I sped and into the common-room, which at the moment
was tolerably full. As I entered by one door, the Marquis was within
three paces of the other, leading to the courtyard.

My whip in the air, I sprang after him; and he, hearing the rush of
my onslaught, turned, then uttered a cry of pain as I brought the lash
caressingly about his shoulders.

"Now, master craven," I shouted, "will that change your mind?"

With an almost inarticulate cry, he sought to draw there and then, but
those about flung themselves upon us, and held us apart--I, passive
and unresisting; the Marquis, bellowing, struggling, and foaming at the
mouth.

"To meet y