"I know all that, monsieur."
"Good! but what you don't know is that I don't propose that my friend shall be played with with impunity. That is why I hunted up this Comte de la Bérinière; I insulted him; we fought a duel, and he is now in his bed with a famous sword-thrust in his right side."
Monsieur Grandcourt jumped from his chair and struck his desk a violent blow, crying:
"Is it possible? You have done that?"
"As I have the honor to tell you. Do you wish to embrace me?"
"On the contrary, monsieur, I am much more inclined to throw you out of the window!"
"Indeed! well, as we are on the ground floor, if that will give you pleasure——"
"Why, monsieur, this is a horrible thing that you've done! And you call yourself Gustave's friend! You seem to be trying to wreck his life. Can't you see that this Fanny is an infernal coquette, who cares for nothing but money and pleasure, and who never had the slightest feeling of love for my nephew?"
"As far as that goes, I am entirely of your opinion."
"Very well! do you think, then, that marriage with such a woman would make Gustave happy?"