avail him here？ Three disengages completed the exchanges； and then
without any haste the Marquis slid his right foot along the moist
turf； his long； graceful body extending itself in a lunge that went
under M。 de Vilmorin's clumsy guard； and with the utmost deliberation
he drove his blade through the young man's vitals。
Andre…Louis sprang forward just in time to catch his friend's body
under the armpits as it sank。 Then； his own legs bending beneath
the weight of it； he went down with his burden until he was kneeling
on the damp turf。 Philippe's limp head lay against Andre…Louis'
left shoulder； Philippe's relaxed arms trailed at his sides； the
blood welled and bubbled from the ghastly wound to saturate the poor
lad's garments。
With white face and twitching lips； Andre…Louis looked up at M。 de
La Tour d'Azyr； who stood surveying his work with a countenance of
grave but remorseless interest。
〃You have killed him！〃 cried Andre…Louis。
〃Of course。〃
The Marquis ran a lace handkerchief along his blade to wipe it。 As
he let the dainty fabric fall； he explained himself。 〃He had； as
I told him； a too dangerous gift of eloquence。〃
And he turned away； leaving completest understanding with
Andre…Louis。 Still supporting the limp； draining body； the young
man called to him。
〃Come back； you cowardly murderer； and make yourself quite safe by
killing me too！〃
The Marquis half turned； his face dark with anger。 Then M。 de
Chabrillane set a restraining hand upon his arm。 Although a party
throughout to the deed； the Chevalier was a little appalled now
that it was done。 He had not the high stomach of M。 de La Tour
d'Azyr； and he was a good deal younger。
〃Come away；〃 he said。 〃The lad is raving。 They were friends。〃
〃You heard what he said？〃 quoth the Marquis。
〃Nor can he； or you； or any man deny it；〃 flung back Andre…Louis。
〃Yourself； monsieur； you made confession when you gave me now the
reason why you killed him。 You did it because you feared him。〃
〃If that were true … what； then？〃 asked the great gentleman。
〃Do you ask？ Do you understand of life and humanity nothing but
how to wear a coat and dress your hair … oh； yes； and to handle
weapons against boys and priests？ Have you no mind to think； no
soul into which you can turn its vision？ Must you be told that it
is a coward's part to kill the thing he fears； and doubly a coward's
part to kill in this way？ Had you stabbed him in the back with a
knife； you would have shown the courage of your vileness。 It would
have been a vileness undisguised。 But you feared the consequences
of that； powerful as you are； and so you shelter your cowardice
under the pretext of a duel。〃
The Marquis shook off his cousin's hand； and took a step forward；
holding now his sword like a whip。 But again the Chevalier caught
and held him。
〃No； no； Gervais！ Let be； in God's name！〃
〃Let him come； monsieur；〃 raved Andre…Louis； his voice thick and
concentrated。 〃Let him complete his coward's work on me； and thus
make himself safe from a coward's wages。〃
M。 de Chabrillane let his cousin go。 He came white to the lips；
his eyes glaring at the lad who so recklessly insulted him。 And
then he checked。 It may be that he remembered suddenly the
relationship in which this young man was popularly believed to
stand to the Seigneur de Gavrillac； and the well…known affection
in which the Seigneur held him。 And so he may have realized that
if he pushed this matter further； he might find himself upon the
horns of a dilemma。 He would be confronted with the alternatives
of shedding more blood； and so embroiling himself with the Lord of
Gavrillac at a time when that gentleman's friendship was of the
first importance to him； or else of withdrawing with such hurt to
his dignity as must impair his authority in the countryside
hereafter。
Be it so or otherwise； the fact remains that he stopped short；
then； with an incoherent ejaculation； between anger and contempt；
he tossed his arms； turned on his heel and strode off quickly with
his cousin。
When the landlord and his people came； they found Andre…Louis； his
arms about the body of his dead friend； murmuring passionately into
the deaf ear that rested almost against his lips：
〃Philippe！ Speak to me； Philippe！ Philippe。。。 Don't you hear me？
0 God of Heaven！ Philippe！〃
At a glance they saw that here neither priest nor doctor could avail。
The cheek that lay against Andre…Louis's was leaden…hued； the
half…open eyes were glazed； and there was a little froth of blood
upon the vacuously parted lips。
Half blinded by tears Andre…Louis stumbled after them when they bore
the body into the inn。 Upstairs in the little room to which they
conveyed it； he knelt by the bed； and holding the dead man's hand
in both his own； he swore to him out of his impotent rage that M。 de
La Tour d'Azyr should pay a bitter price for this。
〃It was your eloquence he feared； Philippe；〃 he said。 Then if I can
get no justice for this deed； at least it shall be fruitless to him。
The thing he feared in you； he shall fear in me。 He feared that men
might be swayed by your eloquence to the undoing of such things as
himself。 Men shall be swayed by it still。 For your eloquence and
your arguments shall be my heritage from you。 I will make them my
own。 It matters nothing that I do not believe in your gospel of
freedom。 I know it … every word of it； that is all that matters to
our purpose； yours and mine。 If all else fails； your thoughts shall
find expression in my living tongue。 Thus at least we shall have
frustrated his vile aim to still the voice he feared。 It shall
profit him nothing to have your blood upon his soul。 That voice in
you would never half so relentlessly have hounded him and his as it
shall in me … if all else fails。〃
It was an exulting thought。 It calmed him； it soothed his grief；
and he began very softly to pray。 And then his heart trembled as
he considered that Philippe； a man of peace； almost a priest； an
apostle of Christianity； had gone to his Maker with the sin of anger
on his soul。 It was horrible。 Yet God would see the righteousness
of that anger。 And in no case … be man's interpretation of Divinity
what it might … could that one sin outweigh the loving good that
Philippe had ever practised； the noble purity of his great heart。
God after all； reflected Andre…Louis； was not a grand…seigneur。
M。 de Kercadiou stared at him blankly out of his pale
CHAPTER V
THE LORD OF GAVRILLAC
For the second time that day Andre…Louis set out for the chateau；
walking briskly； and heeding not at all the curious eyes that
followed him through the village； and the whisperings that marked
his passage through the people； all agog by now with that day's
event in which he had been an actor。
He was ushered by Benoit； the elderly body…servant； rather
grandiloquently called the seneschal； into the ground…floor room
known traditionally as the library。 It still contained several
shelves of neglected volumes； from which it derived its title； but
implements of the chase … fowling…pieces； powder…horns； hunting…bags；
sheath…knives … obtruded far more prominently than those of study。
The furniture was massive； of oak richly carved； and belonging to
another age。 Great massive oak beams crossed the rather lofty
whitewashed ceiling。
Here the squat Seigneur de Gavrillac was restlessly pacing when
Andre…Louis was introduced。 He was already informed； as he
announced at once； of what had taken place at the Breton arme。 M。
de Chabrillane had just left him； and he confessed himself deeply
grieved and deeply perplexed。
〃The pity of it！〃 he said。 〃The pity of it！〃 He bowed his enormous
head。 〃So estimable a young man； and so full of promise。 Ah； this
La Tour d'Azyr is a hard man； and he feels very strongly in these
matters。 He may be right。 I don't know。 I have never killed a man
for holding different views from mine。 In fact； I have never killed
a man at all。 It isn't in my nature。 I shouldn't sleep of nights if
I did。 But men are differently made。〃
〃The question； monsieur my godfather；〃 said Andre…Louis； 〃is what is
to be done。〃 He was quite calm and self…possessed； but very white。
M。 de Kercadiou stared at him blankly out of his pale eyes。
〃Why； what the devil is there to do？ From what I am told； Vilmorin
went so far as to strike M。 le Marquis。〃
〃Under the very grossest provocation。〃
〃Which he himself provoked by his revolutionary language。 The poor
lad's head was full of this encyclopaedist trash。 It comes of too
much reading。 I have never set much store by books； Andre； and I
have never known anything but trouble to come out of learning。 It
unsettles a man。 It complicates his views of life； destroys the
simplicity which makes for peace of mind and happiness。 Let this
miserable affair be a warning to you； Andre。 You are； yourself；
too prone to these new…fashioned speculations upon a different
constitution of the social order。 You see what comes of it。 A
fine； estimable young man； the only prop of his widowed mother too；
forgets himself； his position； his duty to that mother … everything；
and goes and gets himself killed like this。 It is infernally sad。
On my soul it is sad。〃 He produced a handkerchief； and blew his
nose with vehemence。
Andre…Louis felt a tightening of his heart； a lessening of the
hopes； never too sanguine； which he had founded upon his godfather。
〃Your criticisms；〃 he said； 〃are all for the conduct of the dead；
and none for that of the murderer。 It does not seem possible that
you should be in sympathy with such a crime。
〃Crime？〃 shrilled M。 de Kercadiou。 〃My God； boy； you are speaking
of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。〃
〃I am； and of the abominable murder he has committed。。。 〃
〃Stop！〃 M。 de Kercadiou was very emphatic。 〃I cannot permit that
you apply such terms to him。 I cannot permit it。 M。 le Marquis is
my friend； and is likely very soon to stand in a still closer
relationship。〃
〃Notwithstanding this？〃 asked Andre…Louis。
M。 de Kercadiou was frankly impatient。
〃Why； what has this to do with it？ I may deplore it。 But I have
no right to co