Just as I embraced her who should enter but Branicki, whom I had left a moment before with Madame Binetti. He had clearly followed me in the hopes of picking a quarrel. He was accompanied by Bininski, his lieutenant-colonel. As soon as he appeared, politeness made me stand up and turn to go, but he stopped me.
“It seems to me I have come at a bad time; it looks as if you loved this lady.”
“Certainly, my lord; does not your excellency consider her as worthy of love?”
“Quite so; but as it happens I love her too, and I am not the man to bear any rivals.”
“As I know that, I shall love her no more.”
“Then you give her up?”
“With all my heart; for everyone must yield to such a noble as you are.”
“Very good; but I call a man that yields a coward.”
“Isn’t that rather a strong expression?”
As I uttered these words I looked proudly at him and touched the hilt of my sword. Three or four officers were present and witnessed what passed.