"Nothing! it is nothing!" cried Marianne, running hastily to José and taking his hands as if she desired to drag him away.
"How, nothing?" the man then said, as he took a seat, holding his hat in his hand and placing his fist on his left hip, in the attitude of a fencing-master posing for an elegant effect. "To treat a gentleman as you have just treated me; you call that nothing?"
He turned to Rosas and said, as he saluted him with the airs of a sub. off. on the stage:
"Adolphe Gochard! You do not know me, Monsieur le duc?"
"No," said José.
"What do you want?—"
"Ah! pardon me," said Gochard, as he interrupted Marianne. "You rang, you wished to have the presence of the servants. You threatened to have me pitched out of the door by the shoulders. Since you have called, they shall hear me."
The servants, hurrying to the spot, now appeared in the indistinct shadow of the doorway.
"Be off!" cried Marianne.
"Why?" asked the duke severely, and astonished.