Part 52 (2/2)
Hardly could La Tour have told you why, but he sank back in his seat with a sense of relief He had been telling hie that he ular unwillingness This fellow had a trick of re abbe done to death in the garden behind the Breton arme at Gavrillac Not that the death of Philippe de Vilmorin lay heavily upon M de La Tour d'Azyr's conscience
He had accounted himself fully justified of his action It was that the whole thing as his memory revived it for hi over the bleeding body of the friend he had loved, and al the Marquisnow the subject of the death of Lagron, the deputy-suppleant had at last brought hi upon the question under debate He contributed nothing of value to it; he urged nothing definite His speech on the subject was very brief--that being the pretext and not the purpose for which he had ascended the tribune
When later he was leaving the hall at the end of the sitting, with Le Chapelier at his side, he found hiuard Most of the him from the provocations which his own provocative words in the asse down upon his head For a side of hireat man ”You acquitted yourself very well They ant your blood, no doubt But be discreet, monsieur, if I may presume to advise you, and do not allow yourself to be es I do so er upon my list There are some fifty there already, and there they will remain Refuse them what they are pleased to call satisfaction, and all will be well” Andre-Louis se,” said the hypocrite
”Of course it does But you would appear to have plenty”
”Hardly enough, perhaps But I shall do h the vestibule, and although this was lined with eager Blacks waiting for the young rantly frouard had prevented any of the now into the open, under the great awning at the head of the Carriere, erected to enable carriages to reach the door under cover, those in front of him dispersed a little, and there was awhen his front was entirely uncovered
Outside the rain was falling heavily, churning the ground into thick mud, and for a moment Andre-Louis, with Le Chapelier ever at his side, stood hesitating to step out into the deluge
The watchful Chabrillane had seen his chance, and by a detour that took him momentarily out into the rain, he ca Breton Rudely, violently, he thrust Andre-Louis back, as if to make room for himself under the shelter
Not for a second was Andre-Louis under any delusion as to the man's deliberate purpose, nor were those who stood near him, who made a belated and ineffectual atterievously disappointed It was not Chabrillane he had been expecting His disappointment was reflected on his countenance, to be ant Chevalier
But if Chabrillane was the man appointed to deal with him, he would ainst me, monsieur,” he said, very civilly, and with elbow and shoulder he thrust M de Chabrillane back into the rain
”I desire to take shelter, monsieur,” the Chevalier hectored
”You ainst any one standing on my feet My feet are very tender Perhaps you did not know it, , you lout!” exclaihtly discoht perhaps you were about to apologize”
”Apologize?” Chabrillane laughed ”To you! Do you know that you are a for the second tiain in view of all thrust Andre-Louis rudely back
”Ah!” cried Andre-Louis, with a griainst ht hear him, and once more impelled M de Chabrillane back into the rain
Now, for all his slenderness, his assiduous daily sword-practice had given Andre-Louis an arht into the thrust His assailant reeled backwards a few steps, and then his heel struck a baulk of ti, and he sat down suddenly in the hter rose froentleman's downfall He rose,at Andre-Louis
Andre-Louis had ivable
”You shall meet me for this!” he spluttered ”I shall kill you for it”
His inflahed In the silence everybody heard the laugh and the words that followed
”Oh, is that what you wanted? But why didn't you say so before? You would have spared entlemen of your profession invariably conducted these affairs with decency, decoruht have saved your breeches”