“May one ask,” said young d’Aillane, “the name of the person who has had this fortunate influence over you, so that I may know to whom I owe my gratitude?”
“With your permission, monsieur, I would prefer not to tell you, this is something that concerns myself alone.”
The young captain begged my pardon for being so indiscreet, took leave of my father rather coldly, and retired, expressing his gratitude to me for my good will.
I followed him to the street door, as if out of politeness. There he again gave me his hand; this time I withdrew mine and begged him to come for one moment into my room which opened on to the vestibule. I once more declared that I was convinced of the nobility of his father’s sentiments, and thoroughly determined not to cast the slightest aspersion on the honor of his family. After which I said:
“As this matter is settled, monsieur, you will permit me to ask you why you should have insulted me, by doubting my pride so far as to threaten me with your resentment. If I have not done so before my father, who seemed to urge me on, it was because I knew that when his feeling of anger will have passed away, he would consider himself the most unfortunate of men. I have also a very tender mother, and for this reason I ask you to keep our explanation here a secret. Charged with the interests of Madame d’Ionis, I plead her cause to-morrow; I beg of you then, to grant on the following day, after leaving the palace, the meeting that I now ask of you.”
“No, parbleu! I will do nothing of the kind,” cried the young man, throwing his arms around my neck. “I haven’t the least desire to kill a fellow who has shown so much feeling and justice towards me. I was wrong, I acted without reason, and I am now quite ready to beg your pardon.”
“That is altogether useless, monsieur, for you were forgiven before. In my position, one is exposed to such offenses, and they do not affect an honest man, but there is none the less necessity for me to fight you.”
“Oui—da! Et pourquoi diable, after having begged your pardon?”
“Because that has been done in private, and your visit has been public. There is your horse pawing the ground at our door, and your soldier in uniform, attracting the attention of everyone. You know very well what a little provincial town is. In one hour from now, all the world will know that a brilliant officer has been here to threaten a little lawyer, who is conducting a suit against him, and you may be pretty sure that, to-morrow, when I shall have observed for you and yours all the consideration I look upon as your due, more than one malicious soul will accuse me of being afraid of you, and will laugh at the contemptible figure I will cut beside you. I resign myself to this humiliation, but this duty accomplished, I will have another to fulfill which will be to prove that I am no coward, unworthy of practicing an honorable profession, and capable of betraying the confidence of my clients through fear of a sword thrust. Consider that I am very young, monsieur, that I have a character to establish, now or never.”
“You make me realize my mistake,” answered M. d’Aillane. “I did not appreciate the importance of my behavior, and I owe you a formal avowal in public.”