Count Hannibal

"I will not."

"Then I shall not fight you!" Count Hannibal answered coolly; and he

turned from him, and back again. "You will pardon me if I say, M. de

Tignonville, that you are in as many minds about fighting as about dying!

I do not think that you would have made your fortune at Court. Moreover,

there is a thing which I fancy you have not considered. If we fight you

may kill me, in which case the condition will not help me much. Or

I--which is more likely--" he added, with a harsh smile, "may kill you,

and again I am no better placed."

The young man's pallid features betrayed the conflict in his breast. To

do him justice, his hand itched for the sword-hilt--he was brave enough

for that; he hated, and only so could he avenge himself. But the penalty

if he had the worse! And yet what of it? He was in hell now, in a hell

of humiliation, shame, defeat, tormented by this fiend! 'Twas only to

risk a lower hell.

At last, "I will do it!" he cried hoarsely. "Give me a sword and look to

yourself."

"You promise?"

"Yes, yes, I promise!"

"Good," Count Hannibal answered suavely, "but we cannot fight so, we must

have more light."

And striding to the door he opened it, and calling the Norman bade him

move the table and bring candles--a dozen candles; for in the narrow

streets the light was waning, and in the half-shuttered room it was

growing dusk. Tignonville, listening with a throbbing brain, wondered

that the attendant expressed no surprise and said no word--until Tavannes

added to his orders one for a pair of swords.

Then, "Monsieur's sword is here," Bigot answered in his half-intelligible

patois. "He left it here yester morning."

"You are a good fellow, Bigot," Tavannes answered, with a gaiety and good-

humour which astonished Tignonville. "And one of these days you shall

marry Suzanne."

The Norman smiled sourly and went in search of the weapon.

"You have a poniard?" Count Hannibal continued in the same tone of

unusual good temper, which had already struck Tignonville. "Excellent!

Will you strip, then, or--as we are? Very good, Monsieur; in the

unlikely event of fortune declaring for you, you will be in a better

condition to take care of yourself. A man running through the streets in

his shirt is exposed to inconveniences!" And he laughed gaily.

While he laughed the other listened; and his rage began to give place to

wonder. A man who regarded as a pastime a sword and dagger conflict

between four walls, who, having his adversary in his power, was ready to

discard the advantage, to descend into the lists, and to risk life for a

whim, a fancy--such a man was outside his experience, though in Poitou in

those days of war were men reckoned brave. For what, he asked himself as

he waited, had Tavannes to gain by fighting? The possession of

Mademoiselle? But Mademoiselle, if his passion for her overwhelmed him,

was in his power; and if his promise were a barrier--which seemed

inconceivable in the light of his reputation--he had only to wait, and to-

morrow, or the next day, or the next, a minister would be found, and

without risk he could gain that for which he was now risking all.