Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 86: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

74 A FRIEND AND AN ENEMY. *“*You practice assassination also, monsieur?’’ said the stranger, while the coachman urged on his horses in the direction of the farm-house with an unparalleled ardor. Monsieur de Villebrais grew pale at this insult. ““On guard, monsieur!”’ he exclaimed, in a voice choking with fury, and he rushed upon the unknown. ‘“You forget me, I believe,’’ said Belle-Rose, and ina bound he was between the lieutenant and the stranger. “If your adversary would give way to me,”’ said the lat- ter, without even touching the guard of his sword, ‘‘I should willingly consent to do you the honor to measure swords with you, monsieur; but I will call your attention to the fact that you owe him the preference.”’ “Fight with a clown, never!”’ “*“Nevertheless you will have it to do.”’ **And who will force me to do so?’’ said Monsieur de Vil- lebrais, disdaimfully. “*I, who am ready to sirike you upon the cheek with the fiat of my sword, if you hesitate.”’ Monsieur de Villebrais bit his lips till the blood came. **Listen, then, monsieur,’’ continued the stranger , in the same tone and without appearing more moved than if it were a question of a supper. ‘‘When one passes from rape to murder with sucha surprising facility, some un- pleasantness must be expected. The trade is not altogether a profitable one.”’ The shame of the action which he had committed, and the rage inspired in Monsieur de Villebrais by these words, triumphed over the pride of blood. **So be it,”’ he replied. ‘“‘I will fight with this clown, and it shall be your turn afterward. ”’ **Willingly, if necessary.’ Monsieur de Villebrais was already — the ground with his foot, when the stranger resumed **Since you yield to my observations with such a lauda- ble complaisance, permit me, monsieur, to address you a new one. This is not a suitable place to fight. We run the risk of being disturbed, which is always disagreeable. I see down yonder a little clump of trees which would do marvelously well. Does it please you to go there?”’ ““Come,”’’ replied Monsieur de Villebrais. The three young men entered the grove, and the two adversaries crossed blades immediately. Monsieur de Vil- lebrais fought like a man who wishes to kill and neglected none of the resources of fencing. But he was dealing with z @ man as determined as he and more skillful. Atthe third