"Oh! it's only eight o'clock; it's cold too, and Violette doesn't go out so early in such weather."
"Very well, let us start, young men."
Roncherolle took his box of pistols, which seemed to puzzle Chicotin greatly. Georget went out first, walked to the stairs cautiously, then motioned to them that they might go down. All three were soon at the door, which was kept by Mirontaine only; he barked when anybody came in, but never when they went out.
Monsieur de Roncherolle entered the cab, told Georget and Chicotin to enter with him, although the latter declared that he would be quite as comfortable behind, and bade the coachman take them to the Porte Saint-Mandé, by the Vincennes road.
"Oho! we are going to the country," cried Chicotin; "we shan't find much shade there!"
"I can tell you now, messieurs, why I have brought you with me," said Roncherolle. "It is for the purpose of being my seconds; for I have a duel on hand, I am going to fight a duel with pistols this morning."
"You are going to fight?" cried Georget, deeply moved.
"Yes, my friend; if I had told you that beforehand, would you have refused to come with me?"
"Oh, no! on the contrary, I would have begged you to take me."