'Let me pass. Monsieur d'Ayen,' I said coldly. 'We have too much between us to quarrel here.'
He knew me well enough, but pretended surprise.
'Corbœuf! Monsieur le chevalier, and so it is you! Gentlemen, allow me to present to you Monsieur le Chevalier d'Auriac, with whom I have an argument that we never could bring to a conclusion. We disagreed on the subject of landscape gardening.'
It was a hard pill to swallow, but I had made up my mind to retreat. The Edict was fresh; a conflict there would have meant complete disaster; and there would be no chance for escape, as the passage was getting crowded.
'I remember perfectly,' I said, carrying on d'Ayen's feint, 'but I am not prepared to discuss the matter now. I must go back to take some notes to refresh my memory.'
The man was blown with wine. He thought I feared him, and my words, which roused his companions to scornful laughter, made him do a foolish thing.
'At least take a reminder with you,' and he flung his soft, musk-scented glove in my face.
'A ring! a ring!' roared twenty voices, and, before I knew where I was, I was in the centre of a circle in the passage, the slight figure of d'Ayen before me, and the point of his rapier glinting like a diamond—now in quarte, now in tierce.
He was of the old school of Dominic, and came at me with a ça! ça!' and a flourish, springing back like a cat to avoid the return. Had I been taught the use of the small sword by any less master than Touchet it would have gone hard with me, but, as it was, the third pass showed me the game was mine. The din around us was beyond description, for whilst More and his men were struggling to get close enough to separate us, the onlookers kept thrusting the hotel people back, and oaths, shrieks, wagers, screams for the watch, and half-a-hundred different exclamations and challenges were shouted out at once. I had no time to look around me, for, old as he was, my opponent displayed uncommon activity, and I could not but admire his courage. Coxcomb and fool, dishonoured though he was, under his flowered vest was no craven heart, and I spared him once for his age and twice for his spirit. But now came the warning cry of 'Watch! the watch!' behind me. D'Ayen thrust low in tierce; the parry was simple and I pinked him through the shoulder-joint—I could have hit him where I liked at that moment. He dropped his sword with a curse, and I found myself the next moment in a general melée, for the watch were using no mild measures to force an entrance, and there was a fine to-do in consequence.
Someone—I know not who—at this juncture cut the silken cord by which a huge ornamental lantern was hung above our heads. It fell with a crash, and in a moment we were in semi-darkness. I took the opportunity to dash forwards, flatten myself against the wall, and, by dint of a little management and more good luck, succeeded in getting within a yard or so of the door. Here, taking my occasion, I made a sudden spring forwards, upsetting a man in front of me, and dashed off down the street. Unfortunately, I was not so quick but that I was seen and instantly pursued by a portion of the watch on guard outside.