Monsieur Cherami Part 74

"Why, yes, I fancy so; you are sent by this young Gustave, who desires to fight with me?"

"That isn't it exactly. You are burning, but you're not quite there.

This is how it is: Gustave has no thought of fighting; not that he lacks courage; oh! he's brave enough, I would answer for him as for myself!--but he has such a soft spot in his heart for the widow that he's afraid that, by killing you, he might distress her. The poor boy is in despair; and when he's in despair, he leaves Paris, he goes abroad, seeks distraction in other climes--and what I don't understand is that he comes back as dead in love as when he went away; for I must tell you, monsieur le comte, that you're not the first to cut the gra.s.s from under his feet, as they say; he was to have married Mademoiselle f.a.n.n.y Gerbault, when Monsieur Auguste Monleard came upon the scene; he had the prestige of wealth and fine social position, and poor Gustave was shown the door. To-day, therefore, we have a second performance of the same play, with this difference: that now my young friend has an excellent position in his uncle's banking-house; but that you have a t.i.tle and a fine turnout, and are much richer than he."

"Well, monsieur, as your young friend doesn't think of fighting--which is very wise of him, by the way, for I fancy that it wouldn't increase the widow's affection for him; and, between ourselves, as he had been rejected once, I am a good deal surprised that he came forward a second time----"

"I agree with you, par la sambleu! I wouldn't have been the man to act in that way! A woman who had slighted me for another man--that's much worse than deceiving! Men are deceived every day, and it's forgiven; but slighted, disdained! However, what would you have! pa.s.sions are pa.s.sions! Gustave is to be pitied."

"I pity him with all my heart; but I return to my question: that being so, what can have brought you here?"

"Oh! mon Dieu! it's easily explained. I am Gustave's devoted friend; he forgives insult and treachery, but I do not choose that he shall be insulted or betrayed. The wrong that is done him wounds me, insults me; and as I have never swallowed an insult, I fight.--I have come, therefore, to demand satisfaction at your hands for the little widow's perfidy--of which you are the cause; that is to say, to speak more accurately, the little widow is the real and the only culprit in this affair. It was she who made a fool of Gustave in a much too indecent fas.h.i.+on; but as it's impossible to demand satisfaction of a woman, I have come to demand it of you, monsieur le comte, as her accomplice and representative in this affair."

The count put the whole of his head outside of the bedclothes, in order to obtain a better view of the person who had made this proposition to him; and, after scrutinizing him carefully, he replied, in a mocking tone:

"It makes no difference how closely I examine you, my dear monsieur, I do not know you at all."

"We will make each other's acquaintance by fighting."

"Why should you expect me to fight with you? You haven't insulted me in any way."

"If an insult is all that is necessary to induce you to fight with me, never fear, I'll insult you; but I confess that I should prefer to have the affair pa.s.s off quietly, courteously, as becomes well-bred people; and, although I am not, like you, monsieur le comte, of n.o.ble birth, I beg you to believe that you will not cross swords with a churl. I am of good family, I was well educated, I inherited a very pretty little fortune; but I made a fool of myself for that charming s.e.x which is decidedly fond of cashmere shawls and truffles. I have ruined myself, pretty nearly, but I haven't forgotten how to use a sword; as poor Auguste Monleard had reason to know."

"What's that? you fought with my pretty widow's first husband?"

"The day after the wedding; and I gave him a very neat sword-thrust in the forearm."

"Ah! that fall that he claimed to have had on the stairs?"

"That was the result of our duel."

"Gad! monsieur, it seems that you have sworn the death of all the captivating f.a.n.n.y's husbands."

"If she had married my friend Gustave, I promise you that I wouldn't have fought with him!"

"You will permit me to inform you, monsieur, that your conduct is utterly absurd."

"Why so, monsieur, I pray to know?"

"Because one doesn't take up the cudgels in this way for another man who is old enough to attend to his own affairs. Your friend Gustave doesn't see fit to fight; why should you take it into your head to fight for him?"

"I explained the reasons of my conduct a moment ago. If you didn't listen, I will repeat them."

"It's a waste of time, monsieur; I shall not fight with you."

With that, the count pulled up the bedclothes, turned his face to the wall, and curled himself up so that he made but a large-sized ball.

Cherami rose and paced the floor; then went to the fireplace and warmed his feet at the fire that burned briskly on the hearth, saying:

"It's quite sharp this morning; you were very wise to order a fire lighted in your bedroom; one takes cold so easily. To be sure, this room is tightly closed, but the least draught does the business so quickly!"

After a few minutes, annoyed to find that his visitor did not take his leave, the count turned over and sat up in bed.

"I say, monsieur," he exclaimed testily, "do you intend to pa.s.s the day in my bedroom? Do me the favor to go away and let me sleep."

"And do you, monsieur le comte, do me the favor to cover yourself with the bedclothes again; you'll take cold."

"A truce to jesting, monsieur! I have told you that I would not fight with you; I repeat it. There is nothing to keep you here, therefore."

"O my dear Monsieur de la Beriniere--I believe that is your name, De la Beriniere, is it not?"

"Yes, monsieur; that is my name."

"My dear Monsieur de la Beriniere, when I take it into my head to do a thing, I a.s.sure you that it has to be done. I have promised myself to fight with you--unless, however, you give me your word of honor to renounce your project of marrying Auguste Monleard's widow. In that case, I am content. Does that suit you?"

"On my word, this is too much!"

"What is it that's too much?"

"You disgust me,[E] monsieur!"

"Do I, indeed? Gad! you are not to be pitied, in such weather as this.

So you won't give her up?"

"What do you take me for, in G.o.d's name?"

"Then you agree to fight?"

"Go to the devil!"

"In that case, I must resort to decisive measures."

And Cherami, raising his switch, caused it to whistle about the count's ears, but without touching him; that manoeuvring sufficed, however, to make Monsieur de la Beriniere straighten himself up and cry, in a furious rage:

"You are a villain, monsieur!"

"Aha! you're awake at last, are you?"

"You will give me satisfaction for this indecent behavior, monsieur!"

"That is just what I have been asking you for, for the past hour."

"Leave your address; my seconds will call upon you to-morrow at eight o'clock; see that yours are there, also."

Cherami scratched his ear, muttering:

"My seconds! Do we need any seconds? Why not settle the business at once, between ourselves?"

"Oho! monsieur, so you never have fought a duel?"