"That will end him," remarked he, and reading it over, he folded, addressed and sealed it, and putting on his hat and gloves proceeded to the General Depôt of the Post. There he took out his watch, noted the hour and minute, and handed in the letter.
The Chevalier was then in Versailles, so that Lotbinière's note reached him quickly, and he replied—
"My dear Sir,—Your note is a great shock to me. I have not slept nor lain down all night, on account of the matter of our young countryman, which is one of the most unfortunate in the world. He is as a son to me; and out of my feelings for him I beseech you to treat him considerately, for you cannot know how sensitive and fine-minded he is; the immediate ruin would kill him. Let us rather combine to withdraw him more gradually from his false position. Cannot the quarrel between the young men be softened by gentle means? As for myself, I am ready to use my best influence with you in that direction."
The Marquis read the letter over twice.
"He is asking quarter," he ultimately pronounced; "clemency is asked of the victor: well, I will be clement. Lecour shall first write a humble retraction of all his claims. This shall be left in my hands by him for thirty days, during which the pretender shall leave France. De Léry will then exhibit the retraction, with attestations both by myself and de Bailleul."
De Lotbinière contemplated the cupids frescoed on the frieze urbanely. He was victor.
A knock came, and the Marquis de Répentigny was ushered in.
"See," said he, "what is going all over Paris"; and he gave a newspaper passage to de Lotbinière to read.
The item ran—
"The duel between the two Bodyguards, Monsieur de Léry and the Chevalier de Répentigny, took place this morning at four o'clock in the woods of Bois du Lac. It is said that on account of some provincial quarrel, the former had insulted the latter by denying his gentility, of which, however, the Chevalier had made the amplest proofs on entering his regiment. During the duel, he displayed the firmest yet most amiable spirit, and having disarmed M. de Léry upon the coup de tierce, magnanimously refused to draw blood. The seconds then interfered and declared the honour of the combatants satisfied."