coach opens, gives out three porters, or hired bullies, with the
due implements: scandalous actuality of horsewhipping descends on
the back of poor Arouet, who shrieks and execrates to no purpose,
nobody being near. 'That will do,' says Rohan at last, and the
gallant ducal party drive off; young Arouet, with torn frills and
deranged hair, rushing up stairs again, in such a mood as is easy
to fancy. Everybody is sorry, inconsolable, everybody shocked;
nobody volunteers to help in avenging. 'Monseigneur de Sulli, is
not such atrocity done to one of your guests, an insult to
yourself?' asks Arouet. 'Well, yes perhaps, but'--Monseigneur de
Sulli shrugs his shoulders, and proposes nothing. Arouet withdrew,
of course in a most blazing condition, to consider what he could,
on his own strength, do in this conjuncture.

"His Biographer Duvernet says, he decided on doing two things:
learning English and the small-sword exercise. [ La Vie de
Voltaire, par M--(a Geneve, 1786), pp. 55-57; or
pp. 60-63, in his SECOND form of the Book. The "M--" is an Abbe
Duvernet; of no great mark otherwise. He got into Revolution
trouble afterwards, but escaped with his head; and republished his
Book, swollen out somewhat by new "Anecdotes" and republican
bluster, in this second instance; signing himself T. J. D. V--
(Paris, 1797). A vague but not dark or mendacious little Book;
with traces of real EYESIGHT in it,--by one who had personally
known Voltaire, or at least seen and heard him.] He retired to the
country for six months, and perfected himself in these two
branches. Being perfect, he challenged Duc de Rohan in the proper
manner; applying ingenious compulsives withal, to secure
acceptance of the challenge. Rohan accepted, not without some
difficulty, and compulsion at the Theatre or otherwise:--accepted,