M. Étienne was standing in the doorway.
"Vigo," he said, without a change of countenance, "get Félix a rapier, which he can use prettily enough. I cannot take him out to-night unarmed."
Vigo hesitated a moment, saluted, and went.
"Monsieur," I cried out, "you meant all the time to take me!"
He gazed down on my heated visage and laughed and laughed.
"Félix," he gasped, "you had your sport over there at the inn. But I have seen nothing this summer as funny as your face."
Vigo came back with a sword and baldric for me, and a horse-pistol besides, but M. Étienne would not let me have it.
"Circumstances are such, Vigo, that I want no noisy weapons."
The equery regarded him with a troubled countenance.
"I wish I knew, monsieur, whether I do right to let you go."