We bowed formally, as men bow who are about to cross swords, and whilst I
waited for him to speak, I noted that his face was pale and bore the
impress of suppressed anger.
"So, M. de Luynes, again we meet."
"By your seeking, M. le Marquis."
"You are not polite."
"You are not opportune."
He smiled dangerously.
"I learn, Monsieur, that you are a daily visitor at the Ch?teau de
Canaples."
"Well, sir, what of it?"
"This. I have been to Canaples this morning and, knowing that you will
learn anon, from that old dotard, what passed between us, I prefer that you
shall hear it first from me."
I bowed to conceal a smile.
"Thanks to you, M. de Luynes, I was ordered from the house. I--C?sar de
St. Auban--have been ordered from the house of a provincial upstart!
Thanks to the calumnies which you poured into his ears."
"Calumnies! Was that the word?"
"I choose the word that suits me best," he answered, and the rage that was
in him at the affront he had suffered at the hands of the Chevalier de
Canaples was fast rising to the surface. "I warned you at Choisy of what
would befall.
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