abode at six o'clock? Besides, his legs were stiff and aching.

Sanin thought it as well to cheer him up, and he chanced on the very
thing, he hit on the right word.

'Where is your old spirit, Signor Cippatola? Where is _il antico
valor_?'

Signor Cippatola drew himself up and scowled '_Il antico valor_?' he
boomed in a bass voice. '_Non e ancora spento_ (it's not all lost
yet), _il antico valor!_'

He put himself in a dignified attitude, began talking of his career,
of the opera, of the great tenor Garcia--and arrived at Hanau a hero.

After all, if you think of it, nothing is stronger in the world ...
and weaker--than a word!



XXII

The copse in which the duel was to take place was a quarter of a mile
from Hanau. Sanin and Pantaleone arrived there first, as the latter
had predicted; they gave orders for the carriage to remain outside
the wood, and they plunged into the shade of the rather thick and
close-growing trees. They had to wait about an hour.

The time of waiting did not seem particularly disagreeable to Sanin;
he walked up and down the path, listened to the birds singing, watched