“Willingly.”
“And my arm, sir; at the least obstacle you met you would fall, and give yourself unnecessary pain.”
“The sword has only penetrated the skin. I hope soon to be well.”
“So much the better, sir; but I warn you, that you will find it difficult to make me your adversary again.”
Charny tried to reply, but the words died on his lips. He staggered, and Philippe had but just time to catch him in his arms, and bear him half fainting to his carriage.
Dauphin, who had seen what had passed, advanced to meet him, and they put Charny in.
“Drive slowly,” said Philippe, who then took his way back to Paris, murmuring to himself, with a sigh, “She will pity him.”
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE HOUSE IN THE RUE ST. GILLES.
Philippe jumped into the first coach he saw, and told the man to drive to the Rue St. Gilles, where he stopped at the house of M. de Cagliostro.
A large carriage, with two good horses, was standing in the courtyard; the coachman was asleep, wrapped in a greatcoat of fox-skins, and two footmen walked up and down before the door.