privilege that is devouring the vitals of this unfortunate country。〃
M。 le Marquis shifted in his chair； and spoke at last。
〃You have； monsieur；〃 said he； 〃a very dangerous gift of eloquence。
And it is of yourself rather than of your subject。 For after all；
what do you offer me？ A rechauffe of the dishes served to
out…at…elbow enthusiasts in the provincial literary chambers；
compounded of the effusions of your Voltaires and Jean…Jacques and
such dirty…fingered scribblers。 You have not among all your
philosophers one with the wit to understand that we are an order
consecrated by antiquity； that for our rights and privileges we have
behind us the authority of centuries。〃
〃Humanity； monsieur；〃 Philippe replied； 〃is more ancient than
nobility。 Human rights are contemporary with man。〃
The Marquis laughed and shrugged。
〃That is the answer I might have expected。 It has the right note
of cant that distinguishes the philosophers。〃 And then M。 de
Chabrillane spoke。
〃You go a long way round；〃 he criticized his cousin； on a note of
impatience。
〃But I am getting there；〃 he was answered。 〃I desired to make quite
certain first。〃
〃Faith； you should have no doubt by now。〃
〃I have none。〃 The Marquis rose； and turned again to M。 de Vilmorin；
who had understood nothing of that brief exchange。 〃M。 l'abbe；〃
said he once more； 〃you have a very dangerous gift of eloquence。 I
can conceive of men being swayed by it。 Had you been born a
gentleman； you would not so easily have acquired these false views
that you express。〃
M。 de Vilmorin stared blankly； uncomprehending。
〃Had I been born a gentleman； do you say？〃 quoth he； in a slow；
bewildered voice。 〃But I was born a gentleman。 My race is as old；
my blood as good as yours； monsieur。〃
》From M。 le Marquis there was a slight play of eyebrows； a vague；
indulgent smile。 His dark； liquid eyes looked squarely into the
face of M。 de Vilmorin。
〃You have been deceived in that； I fear。〃
〃Deceived？〃
〃Your sentiments betray the indiscretion of which madame your mother
must have been guilty。〃
The brutally affronting words were sped beyond recall； and the lips
that had uttered them； coldly； as if they had been the merest
commonplace； remained calm and faintly sneering。
A dead silence followed。 Andre…Louis' wits were numbed。 He stood
aghast； all thought suspended in him； what time M。 de Vilmorin's
eyes continued fixed upon M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's； as if searching
there for a meaning that eluded him。 Quite suddenly he understood
the vile affront。 The blood leapt to his face； fire blazed in his
gentle eyes。 A convulsive quiver shook him。 Then； with an
inarticulate cry； he leaned forward； and with his open hand struck
M。 le Marquis full and hard upon his sneering face。
In a flash M。 de Chabrillane was on his feet； between the two men。
Too late Andre…Louis had seen the trap。 La Tour d'Azyr's words
were but as a move in a game of chess； calculated to exasperate his
opponent into some such counter…move as this … a counter…move that
left him entirely at the other's mercy。
M。 le Marquis looked on； very white save where M。 de Vilmorin's
finger…prints began slowly to colour his face； but he said nothing
more。 Instead； it was M。 de Chabrillane who now did the talking；
taking up his preconcerted part in this vile game。
〃You realize； monsieur； what you have done；〃 said he； coldly； to
Philippe。 〃And you realize； of course； what must inevitably follow。〃
M。 de Vilmorin had realized nothing。 The poor young man had acted
upon impulse； upon the instinct of decency and honour； never
counting the consequences。 But he realized them now at the sinister
invitation of M。 de Chabrillane； and if he desired to avoid these
consequences； it was out of respect for his priestly vocation； which
strictly forbade such adjustments of disputes as M。 de Chabrillane
was clearly thrusting upon him。
He drew back。 〃Let one affront wipe out the other；〃 said he； in a
dull voice。 〃The balance is still in M。 le Marquis's favour。 Let
that content him。〃
〃Impossible。〃 The Chevalier's lips came together tightly。
Thereafter he was suavity itself； but very firm。 〃A blow has been
struck； monsieur。 I think I am correct in saying that such a thing
has never happened before to M。 le Marquis in all his life。 If you
felt yourself affronted； you had but to ask the satisfaction due
from one gentleman to another。 Your action would seem to confirm
the assumption that you found so offensive。 But it does not on that
account render you immune from the consequences。〃
It was； you see； M。 de Chabrillane's part to heap coals upon this
fire； to make quite sure that their victim should not escape them。
〃I desire no immunity；〃 flashed back the young seminarist； stung by
this fresh goad。 After all； he was nobly born； and the traditions
of his class were strong upon him … stronger far than the seminarist
schooling in humility。 He owed it to himself； to his honour； to be
killed rather than avoid the consequences of the thing he had done。
〃But he does not wear a sword； messieurs！〃 cried Andre Louis； aghast。
〃That is easily amended。 He may have the loan of mine。〃
〃I mean； messieurs；〃 Andre…Louis insisted； between fear for his
friend and indignation； 〃that it is not his habit to wear a sword；
that he has never worn one； that he is untutored in its uses。 He
is a seminarist … a postulant for holy orders； already half a priest；
and so forbidden from such an engagement as you propose。〃
〃All that he should have remembered before he struck a blow；〃 said
M。 de Chabrillane； politely。
〃The blow was deliberately provoked；〃 raged Andre…Louis。 Then he
recovered himself； though the other's haughty stare had no part in
that recovery。 〃0 my God； I talk in vain！ How is one to argue
against a purpose formed！ Come away； Philippe。 Don't you see the
trap。。。 〃
M。 de Vilmorin cut him short； and flung him off。 〃Be quiet； Andre。
M。 le Marquis is entirely in the right。〃
〃M。 le Marquis is in the right？〃 Andre…Louis let his arms fall
helplessly。 This man he loved above all other living men was caught
in the snare of the world's insanity。 He was baring his breast to
the knife for the sake of a vague； distorted sense of the honour due
to himself。 It was not that he did not see the trap。 It was that
his honour compelled him to disdain consideration of it。 To
Andre…Louis in that moment he seemed a singularly tragic figure。
Noble； perhaps； but very pitiful。
CHAPTER IV
THE HERITAGE
It was M。 de Vilmorin's desire that the matter should be settled
out of hand。 In this he was at once objective and subjective。 A
prey to emotions sadly at conflict with his priestly vocation； he
was above all in haste to have done； so that he might resume a frame
of mind more proper to it。 Also he feared himself a little； by
which I mean that his honour feared his nature。 The circumstances
of his education； and the goal that for some years now he had kept
in view； had robbed him of much of that spirited brutality that is
the birthright of the male。 He had grown timid and gentle as a
woman。 Aware of it； he feared that once the heat of his passion
was spent he might betray a dishonouring weakness； in the ordeal。
M。 le Marquis； on his side； was no less eager for an immediate
settlement； and since they had M。 de Chabrillane to act for his
cousin； and Andre…Louis to serve as witness for M。 de Vilmorin；
there was nothing to delay them。
And so； within a few minutes； all arrangements were concluded； and
you behold that sinisterly intentioned little group of four
assembled in the afternoon sunshine on the bowling…green behind the
inn。 They were entirely private； screened more or less from the
windows of the house by a ramage of trees； which； if leafless now；
was at least dense enough to provide an effective lattice。
There were no formalities over measurements of blades or selection
of ground。 M。 le Marquis removed his sword…belt and scabbard； but
declined not considering it worth while for the sake of so negligible
an opponent … to divest himself either of his shoes or his coat。
Tall； lithe； and athletic； he stood to face the no less tall； but
very delicate and frail； M。 de Vilmorin。 The latter also disdained
to make any of the usual preparations。 Since he recognized that it
could avail him nothing to strip； he came on guard fully dressed；
two hectic spots above the cheek…bones burning on his otherwise grey
face。
M。 de Chabrillane； leaning upon a cane … for he had relinquished
his sword to M。 de Vilmorin … looked on with quiet interest。 Facing
him on the other side of the combatants stood Andre…Louis； the palest
of the four； staring from fevered eyes； twisting and untwisting
clammy hands。
His every instinct was to fling himself between the antagonists； to
protest against and frustrate this meeting。 That sane impulse was
curbed； however； by the consciousness of its futility。 To calm him；
he clung to the conviction that the issue could not really be very
serious。 If the obligations of Philippe's honour compelled him to
cross swords with the man he had struck； M。 de La Tour d'Azyr's
birth compelled him no less to do no serious hurt to the unfledged
lad he had so grievously provoked。 M。 le Marquis； after all； was
a man of honour。 He could intend no more than to administer a
lesson； sharp； perhaps； but one by which his opponent must live to
profit。 Andre…Louis clung obstinately to that for comfort。
Steel beat on steel； and the men engaged。 The Marquis presented to
his opponent the narrow edge of his upright body； his knees
slightly flexed and converted into living springs； whilst M。 de
Vilmorin stood squarely； a full target； his knees wooden。 Honour
and the spirit of fair play alike cried out against such a match。
The encounter was very short； of course。 In youth； Philippe had
received the tutoring in sword…play that was given to every boy
born into his station of life。 And so he knew at least the
rudiments of what was now expected of him。 But what could rudiments
avail him here？ Three disengages completed the exchanges； and then
without any haste the Mar