"And I believe he is in debt; he owes everybody!"
"Vive Dieu! messieurs, should a man torment himself because he is in debt? As for myself, I have creditors, and plenty of them—I am proud of the fact! But when the knaves have the impudence to ask me for money, then I draw my sword and shout and curse and excite myself to such a frenzy that they run away as if the devil was at their heels! That is the way to arrange one's affairs!"
Léodgard had not heard La Valteline's call, for he was still looking at the stars.
"Stay, messieurs; I will wager that I will make him come; I know the way.—Holà! Bruno! come here, knave! Have you the dice and diceboxes in your pocket?"
"Yes, seigneur."
"Give them to me."
The valet handed to his master, the Marquis de Sénange, two ivory diceboxes and the dice; the young man placed the dice in one of the boxes and shook them a long while, then began to exclaim:
"Seven—eleven—twelve! I have won! I have won!"
The rattling of the dice produced the effect which Sénange anticipated: Léodgard, roused from his reverie, left his place and drew near the gentlemen who were seated about the torch.
"What, messieurs! are you shaking dice on the grass?" he asked.