“Yes, monsieur, yes, with the greatest pleasure!” cried Luminot. “I admit it the more readily, as it is my individual opinion.”
“We all admit it—hum! hum!—all!” added Monsieur Remplumé.
“All!” shouted Chamoureau from behind his tree.
“In that case, messieurs,” said Paul, “we consider ourselves fully satisfied, but on one condition; and that is that at five o’clock this afternoon you will be at Monsieur de Belleville’s, and will there repeat what you have just said to us. You will be careful to be accompanied by all those ladies, who were the first to dare to make hateful remarks concerning Madame Dalmont and her young friend. The insult was public, and the reparation must be public as well! I deem it my duty to warn you that, in case you and your ladies should not keep this appointment, we shall renew this battle with all of you, messieurs; and that, in that event, it will be a duel to the death!”
“We will be there! we will be there, messieurs!” stammered Luminot and Remplumé.
“I am going there now,” said Chamoureau in a strangling voice.
“Until this evening then, messieurs, at five o’clock, at Monsieur de Belleville’s!”
“You ought to know the age of that tree, Chamoureau!”
“Now, messieurs, let us go,” said Paul. “Let us hasten to the ladies, for my dog’s behavior troubles me, I am afraid that something has gone wrong.”
“Perhaps they have been informed of the duel,” said Edmond; “and in that case they must be terribly anxious; let us make haste to set their minds at rest.—See, Ami is going on ahead!”