Volume Ii Part 61 (1/2)
XXIII
THE SECONDS
On leaving the ball at Goldfish Villa, Freluchon and Edmond returned to the house occupied by the latter.
”You will need another second for to-morrow,” said Freluchon; ”where can you find one in this place?”
”He is all found: the owner of the Tower, a gentleman of the best tone, who comes to Madame Dalmont's sometimes in the evening. I am sure that he won't refuse to do me this favor. We will go to see him early to-morrow.”
”Very good.”
”But the most important thing of all is to keep all knowledge of this duel, and of the quarrel of this evening as well, from the two ladies.”
”We won't tell them; but everything becomes known so quickly in small places like this!”
”They never go out or receive any visits; from whom then can they learn what happened at that infernal fete?”
”So much the better; I trust you are right. But it's daybreak already, and we have only a short time to sleep. Let us make haste. Luckily, I fall asleep very quickly myself.”
At eight o'clock in the morning, Edmond was out of bed and woke his friend.
”What! already?” muttered Freluchon; ”why, we've hardly got to bed!”
”That may be; but it's a long distance from here to the Tower; then we must come back, and I don't want Monsieur Luminot's seconds to come and not find us.”
”Oh! never you fear; those fellows won't be in such a hurry as you are; especially if Chamoureau's one of them.”
”I should say that he must be, as the affair took place in his house.”
”Then it will be more amusing; I will tell him that the seconds have to fight also.”
Freluchon consented to rise at last, and the two friends were soon en route for the Tower.
”I recognize this part of the country,” said Freluchon as they crossed Gournay bridge. ”This is where I came for that famous _matelote_, which you left me to eat all alone.”
”Yes, the estate we are going to is a little beyond Gournay.”
”Ah, yes! Gournay! a little village that I could put in my pocket.
Suppose we should stop and eat a _matelote_ when we come back?”
”Can you think of such a thing? What about my duel, and the seconds I expect?”
”If Chamoureau is one of them, they won't come till next week.--I am very hungry myself. Will your high-toned gentleman invite us to breakfast? It seems to me that that is the most high-toned thing he could do.”
Edmond's only reply was to quicken his pace.
Freluchon trotted along behind him, saying:
”If I had known it was so far, I'd have hired an a.s.s for us both; we should have resembled half of the _Four Sons of Aymon_. Do you know, I have always liked that story of the Four Sons of Aymon! particularly on account of their horse. Horses of that build aren't made to-day! Think of putting four people on one of our ponies of the present day! even the third one would be on his tail--where would the fourth one be, I would like to know?”