The Speaker repressed a nervous little gesture and bit his lips.
'I think not, sir.'
'Now, come, honourable colleague—has there not been some misunderstanding? A duel between two deputies is a grave matter; it ought not to occur without cause.'
'There was no misunderstanding, I assure you, Speaker.'
'I have experience in such things: Oldofredi is rather excitable, you are young, and some joke was taken the wrong way. One ought to be careful on these occasions, colleague; to-morrow the newspapers will talk, and then a scandal will arise.'
'I hope not. In any case, there is no remedy.'
'No one will make Oldofredi say that you, Sangiorgio, brought about this duel for notoriety's sake.'
And the Speaker cast a narrowly scrutinizing glance at the Southern deputy's face, but read in it only indifference, impassivity, and he seemed to abandon his attempt at mediation.
'Have the seconds fixed upon the conditions?' he inquired.
'Not yet; I am to meet them at eleven.' And he rose to go.