The waiter disappeared and reappeared several times with great rapidity, in course of which evolution he spread the table with a white cloth, and with crockery ware, cutlery and glass, and loaded it with cold ham, roast fowl, and a salad, together with the bottle of wine that had been bespoken.
Alexander and Francis sat down and ate and drank as other travelers might who had no murder on their mind. They spoke no word of the impending duel.
When supper was over and the cloth removed, Francis Tredegar turned to his principal and said:
“Now you will wish to feel well and strong to-morrow morning. You have lost a great deal of rest lately, and will require all the sleep that you can get to restore you. So you had better go to bed at once, and lie there till I call you. I will be sure to call you two hours before the time that shall be fixed for the meeting.”
“And you, Francis? Will you not take some rest?”
“No, it is not so necessary for me. I must meet Zollenhoffar by appointment to settle the last—the final arrangements—such as could not possibly be settled before our arrival here.”
“Well, you will call me in time?”
“Certainly.”
Alexander retired to his chamber, and Francis Tredegar went out to keep his appointment on what might be called neutral ground—in a room, namely, far removed from the quarters of the principal belligerents, and which the seconds had engaged for the purpose of settling the final preliminaries to the hostile meeting.
The night watch of the hotel could have told, and afterwards did tell, how these two men had shut themselves up together in a private room, where they remained from one o’clock, till half past two, when they came out together, locked the door, took the key with them, left the house, and bent their steps towards the gloomy heights of Noirmont that lay behind the town; and how about four o’clock they returned, and separated, each going to his own apartment.