Volume Ii Part 69 (2/2)

While Paul examined the weapons, Chamoureau drew his handkerchief, wiped his brow and held out his arms toward Freluchon, saying:

”Try to adjust this business, in heaven's name!”

”Let us alone, and go farther away.”

”How many paces?” Paul asked the lame man.

”Twenty-five.”

”That isn't enough! Forty paces!” cried Chamoureau.

”It is for Monsieur Luminot to decide.”

”Call it thirty paces!” said Monsieur Luminot, with a dignified air.

”Bah!” muttered Freluchon with a smile; ”I shall be glad to believe that they won't do each other much harm; and I will proceed to measure the paces accordingly.”

The adversaries took their places; Freluchon had measured thirty paces which were fully equal to forty.

”Why, this duel is a joke!” said Edmond to his seconds.

”I suppose you are anxious to be killed in order to give Madame Chamoureau pleasure, eh? How clever that would be!--Come, Monsieur Luminot, you are to fire first, the third time that I clap my hands--that is the signal.”

While Freluchon clapped his hands three times, Chamoureau cowered behind a tree. Monsieur Luminot fired, and his bullet lost itself in s.p.a.ce.

When he saw that his opponent was not hit, and that it was his turn to face the fire, he took a white handkerchief from his pocket and waved it in the air, to signify that he wished to parley.

”Monsieur,” said Edmond, walking toward the former wine merchant, ”are you willing to admit now that what you said with regard to Madame Dalmont and Mademoiselle Agathe was calumny pure and simple, and that those ladies deserve the esteem and respect of everybody?”

”Yes, monsieur, yes, with the greatest pleasure!” cried Luminot. ”I admit it the more readily, as it is my individual opinion.”

”We all admit it--hum! hum!--all!” added Monsieur Remplume.

”All!” shouted Chamoureau from behind his tree.

”In that case, messieurs,” said Paul, ”we consider ourselves fully satisfied, but on one condition; and that is that at five o'clock this afternoon you will be at Monsieur de Belleville's, and will there repeat what you have just said to us. You will be careful to be accompanied by all those ladies, who were the first to dare to make hateful remarks concerning Madame Dalmont and her young friend. The insult was public, and the reparation must be public as well! I deem it my duty to warn you that, in case you and your ladies should not keep this appointment, we shall renew this battle with all of you, messieurs; and that, in that event, it will be a duel to the death!”

”We will be there! we will be there, messieurs!” stammered Luminot and Remplume.

”I am going there now,” said Chamoureau in a strangling voice.

”Until this evening then, messieurs, at five o'clock, at Monsieur de Belleville's!”

”You ought to know the age of that tree, Chamoureau!”

”Now, messieurs, let us go,” said Paul. ”Let us hasten to the ladies, for my dog's behavior troubles me, I am afraid that something has gone wrong.”

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