face meanwhile wore the amused smile of one who
comprehended my motives, but felt sufficiently sure of his position
and influence with his followers to be indifferent to my proceedings.
I presently showed him, however, that I had not yet done with him. Our
table was laid in obedience to my orders at such a distance from the
men that they could not overhear our talk, and by-and-by I leant over to
him.

'M. Fresnoy,' I said, 'you are in danger of forgetting one thing, I
fancy, which it behoves you to remember.'

'What?' he muttered, scarcely deigning to look up at me.

'That you have to do with Gaston de Marsac,' I answered quietly. 'I
am making, as I told you this morning, a last attempt to recruit
my fortunes, and I will let no man--no man, do you understand, M.
Fresnoy?--thwart me and go harmless.'

'Who wishes to thwart you?' he asked impudently.

'You,' I answered unmoved, helping myself, as I spoke, from the roll of
black bread which lay beside me. 'You robbed me this afternoon; I passed
it over. You encouraged those men to be insolent; I passed it over.
But let me tell you this. If you fail me to-night, on the honour of a
gentleman, M. Fresnoy, I will run you through as I would spit a lark.'

'Will you? But two can play at that game,' he cried, rising nimbly from
his stool. 'Still better six! Don't you think, M. de Marsac, you had
better have waited--?'

'I think you had better hear one word more,' I answered coolly, keeping
my seat, 'before you appeal to your fellows there.'

'Well,' he said, still standing, 'what is it?'

'Nay,' I replied, after once more pointing to his stool in vain, 'if you
prefer to take my orders standing, well and good.'

'Your orders?' he shrieked, growing suddenly excited.

'Yes, my orders!' I retorted, rising as suddenly to my feet and hitching
forward my sword. 'My orders, sir,' I repeated fiercely, 'or, if you
dispute my right to command as well as to pay this party, let us decide
the question here and now--you and I, foot to foot, M. Fresnoy.'

The quarrel flashed up so suddenly, though I had been preparing it all
along, that no one moved. The woman indeed, fell back to her children,
but the rest looked on open-mouthed. Had they stirred, or had a moment's
hurly-burly heated his blood, I doubt not Fresnoy would have taken up
my challenge, for he did not lack hardihood. But as it was, face to face
with me in the silence, his courage failed him. He paused, glowering at
me