"But where is he, then? You say he is lost."
"Aye. He has not been seen or heard of since the day they had the quarrel."
"Who quarrelled?"
"Why, he and Monsieur," answered Marcel, in a lower voice, pointing to the door of the inner room. "M. le Comte has been his own master too long to take kindly to a hand over him; that is the whole of it. He has a quick temper. So has Monsieur."
But I thought of Monsieur's wonderful patience, and I cried:
"Shame!"
"What now?"
"To speak like that of Monsieur."
"Enfin, it is true. He is none the worse for that. But I suppose if Monsieur had a cloven hoof one must not mention it."
"One would get his head broken."