M. Galpin noted down these answers with extreme care. When he had done
so, he continued,--

"The question is not one of political opinions only. You have had
personal difficulties with M. de Boiscoran."

"Of no importance."

"I beg pardon: you have been at law."

"Our estates adjoin each other. There is an unlucky brook between us,
which is a source of constant trouble to the neighbors."

M. Galpin shook his head, and added,--

"These are not the only difficulties you have had with each other.
Everybody in the country knows that you have had violent altercations."

Count Claudieuse seemed to be in great distress.

"It is true: we have used hard words. M. de Boiscoran had two wretched
dogs that were continually escaping from his kennels, and came hunting
in my fields. You cannot imagine how much game they destroyed."

"Exactly so. And one day you met M. de Boiscoran, and you warned him
that you would shoot his dogs."

"I must confess I was furious. But I was wrong, a thousand times wrong:
I did threaten"--