Marquis turned, and addressing one of them, an elderly man with a
military bearing and a shabby brown coat:

"Mon Colonel," he said, with another flourishing bow; "I am deputed by
M. Deroulede to provide him with seconds for this affair of honour,
may I call upon you to..."

"Certainly, certainly," replied the Colonel. "I am not intimately
acquainted with M. Deroulede, but since you stand sponsor, M. le
Marquis..."

"Oh!" rejoined the Marquis, lightly, "a mere matter of form, you know.
M. Deroulede belongs to the entourage of Her Majesty. He is a man of
honour. But I am not his sponsor. Marny is my friend, and if you
prefer not to..."

"Indeed I am entirely at M. Deroulede's service," said the Colonel,
who had thrown a quick, scrutinising glance at the isolated figure
near the card table, "if he will accept my services..."

"He will be very glad to accept, my dear Colonel," whispered the
Marquis with an ironical twist of his aristocratic lips. "He has no
friends in our set, and if you and De Quettare will honour him, I
think he should be grateful."

M. de Quettare, adjutant to M. le Colonel, was ready to follow in the
footsteps of his chief, and the two men, after the prescribed
salutations to M. le Marquis de Villefranche, went across to speak to
Deroulede.