"I am not a patient man, Madame," coming closer. "I have publicly vowed my love for you, and Heaven nor hell shall keep me from you."
"Not even myself? Come, Monsieur," wrathfully, "you are acting like a fool or a boy. Women such as I am are not won in this braggart fashion. Certainly you must admit that I have something to say in regard to the disposition of my hand. And let me say this at once: I shall wed no man; and were either you or Monsieur le Comte the last man in the world, I should run away and hide. Stand aside."
"And if I should use force?" throwing aside the reins of self-control.
"Force, force!" flinging wide her hands; "you speak to me of force! Monsieur, you are not a fool, but a madman."
"But we are still tender toward the Chevalier?" snarling.
"The least I can say of Monsieur le Chevalier is that he is a gentleman."
"A gentleman? Ho! that is rich. A gentleman!"
The path was at this point almost too narrow for her to walk around him; so she waited without replying.
"And do not forget, Madame, that you are a fugitive from justice, and that a word to Monsieur de Lauson …"
"I dare you to speak, Monsieur," with growing anger. "Have you no bogus paper to hold over my head? Are you about to play the vicomte's trick second-hand?"