Part 75 (2/2)
”A lucky meeting!” he said; ”it is my dear Monsieur Courb.i.+.c.hon! _Bone Deus!_ So we are no longer in Touraine?”
”Ah! monsieur, I have the honor--no, as you see, I am in Paris.”
”And fresher and l.u.s.tier than ever! I am tempted to repeat the fable: 'How pretty you are! how handsome you look to me!'”
”You don't need to: I know it.”
”That's a pretty cane you have there. It isn't the same one, is it?”
”No, monsieur; it certainly isn't the one you broke.”
”Didn't you have it mended?”
”It wasn't mendable, monsieur.”
”Nonsense! why, they even mend porcelain! This is cherry, I see; let me look at it.”
Cherami put out his hand for the cane, but Monsieur Courb.i.+.c.hon hastily put it behind his back.
”No, no,” he cried; ”I have no desire that you should break this one too; one was quite enough.”
”Oh! mon Dieu! my excellent and worthy friend, who said anything about breaking your cane? There is n.o.body throwing skittles at your legs at this moment, and I fancy that this switch is worth quite as much as your cherry stick.”
”Did this one come from China, too?”
”No, my boy. Do not revive my sorrow! My Chinese switch will never be replaced; but enough about canes. I have a very great favor to ask of you, my dear Monsieur Courb.i.+.c.hon, one of those favors which a man of honor never refuses to grant.”
”I have no money with me at this moment, monsieur; and it would be impossible for me----”
”Who the devil said anything about money? Mordieu! do I look like a man who borrows money?”
Monsieur Courb.i.+.c.hon examined Cherami, who had made himself as fine as possible for his visit to Monsieur de la Beriniere; and he took off his hat, murmuring:
”I beg your pardon; indeed, I had not noticed---- But what is the favor you wish to ask me, monsieur?”
”A nothing, a mere bagatelle--to act as my second in a duel, to-morrow.”
”A duel! it's about a duel! and you dare to propose to me to take part in it! What have I done to you, monsieur, that you should suggest such a thing to me?”
”I tell you, Monsieur Courb.i.+.c.hon, it's a mere matter of form; the seconds don't fight.”
”I, be present at a duel! Understand that I never fought a duel, monsieur! I would rather die than fight!”
”You are like Gribouille, then, who jumped into the water for fear of the rain.”
”It's an outrage, your proposition to me! I will request you, monsieur, not to speak to me hereafter. I do not consort with men who fight duels, not I! Don't detain me, or I shall call for help.”
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