"He claimed the first right to the lady in question, and affirmed that it was your grace who had appropriated his wife—"
"O-h-h-h! when shall I have the opportunity of shooting him!" cried the duke.
"By and by," soothingly responded the colonel. "He referred me to his friend, Baron Blowmonozoff, then staying at the same house."
"Blowmonozoff! Yes, I know him. A very good fellow."
"A gentleman, I think. Of course I went directly from the presence of the count to that of the baron, who received me with much politeness, and was so kind as to express the pleasure he should feel in negotiating with me the terms of so interesting a meeting."
"And the terms, Colonel! What are they?"
"I am coming to them. The meeting is to take place at sunrise in the wood of Vincennes. We are to leave here an hour before dawn, in order to be on the spot in time. The weapons are to be pistols; the distance ten paces. Other minor details will be arranged on the spot. We shall each take a surgeon. I have engaged Doctor Legare. We will call and pick him up on our way to the ground. And now all we have got to do is to ring for the English waiter here, and get him to send us some coffee before we go out. I will see to that also, as I have taken a room in the house, and intend to stay here to-night, so as to be up in time in the morning."
"Thanks very much. You are really very good to take so much trouble," said the duke, with some emotion.
"No trouble, I assure you, duke; quite a pleasure," serenely answered the colonel.
"My friend, I have left half a dozen letters locked up in my writing-desk. I shall hand the key of that desk to you as we go out. If I should fall, I hope you will take charge of the desk and see to the delivery of the letters at their proper addresses," said the duke, more gravely than he had spoken before.