strange fever of enmity, which was seething in the Vicomte's veins.
Most of the young men crowded round De Marny, doing their best to
pacify him. The Marquis de Villefranche declared that the matter was
getting quite outside the rules.

No one took much notice of Deroulede. In the remote corners of the
saloon a few elderly dandies were laying bets as to the ultimate issue
of the quarrel.

Deroulede, however, was beginning to lose his temper. He had no
friends in that room, and therefore there was no sympathetic observer
there, to note the gradual darkening of his eyes, like the gathering
of a cloud heavy with the coming storm.

"I pray you, messieurs, let us cease the argument," he said at last,
in a loud, impatient voice. "M. le Vicomte de Marny desires a further
lesson, and, by God! he shall have it. En garde, M. le Vicomte!"

The crowd quickly drew back. The seconds once more assumed the
bearing and imperturbable expression which their important function
demanded. The hubbub ceased as the swords began to clash.

Everyone felt that farce was turning to tragedy.

And yet it was obvious from the first that Deroulede merely meant
once more to disarm his antagonist, to give him one more lesson, a
little more severe perhaps than the last. He was such a briljant
swordsman, and De Marny was so excited, that the advantage was with
him from the very first.