"And I, Monsieur," replied Chapron, "would be very much obliged to you if,
when you address me, you would not do so in enigmas. I do not know what
you mean by 'a certain business,' but I know that it is unbefitting a
gentleman to act as you have acted at the door of a house which is not
yours and for reasons that I can not comprehend."

"You will comprehend them very soon, Monsieur," said Boleslas, beside
himself, "and you have not constituted yourself your brother's slave
without motives."

He had no sooner uttered that sentence than Florent, incapable any longer
of controlling himself, raised his cane with a menacing gesture, which
the Polish Count arrested just in time, by seizing it in his right hand.
It was the work of a second, and the two men were again face to face,
both pale with anger, ready to collar one another rudely, when the sound
of a door closing above their heads recalled to them their dignity. The
servant descended the stairs. It was Chapron who first regained his
self-possession, and he said to Boleslas, in a voice too low to be heard
by any one but him:

"No scandal, Monsieur, eh? I shall have the honor of sending two of my
friends to you."

"It is I, Monsieur," replied Gorka, "who will send you two. You shall
answer to me for your manner, I assure you."

"Ha! Whatsoever you like," said the other. "I accept all your
conditions in advance.... But one thing I ask of you," he added, "that
no names be mentioned. There would be too many persons involved. Let it