The Corsican Brothers Part 18

"I can recognize her voice," said Louis, as he grasped my arm with a vice-like grip.

"We shall see! wait! be a man!" I answered. "It must be evident that if she has thus come to supper with a man, of her own will, to the house of a stranger, she is not worthy your sympathy."

"I beg, madam, that you will enter," said D----'s voice in the outer room. "We are all friends here I a.s.sure you."

"Yes, come in, my dear Emily," said M. de Chateau Renaud, "you need not take off your mask if you do not wish to do so."

"The wretch," muttered Louis.

At that moment a lady entered, dragged in rather than a.s.sisted by D----, who fancied he was doing the honours, and by Chateau Renaud.

"Three minutes to four," said Chateau Renaud to D----, in a low voice.

"Quite right, my dear fellow, you have won."

"Not yet, monsieur," said the young unknown addressing Chateau Renaud, and drawing herself up to her full height. "I can now understand your persistence. You laid a wager that I would sup here. Is that so?"

Chateau Renaud was silent. Then addressing D----, she continued.

"Since this man cannot answer, will you, monsieur, reply. Did not M.

de Chateau Renaud wager that he would bring me here to supper to-night?"

"I will not hide from you, madame, that he flattered us with that hope," replied D----.

"Well, then, M. de Chateau Renaud has lost, for I was quite unaware he was bringing me here. I believed we were to sup at the house of a friend of my own. So it appears to me that M. de Chateau Renaud has not won his wager."

"But now you are here, my dear Emily, you may as well remain; won't you? See, we have a good company and some pleasant young ladies too!"

"Now that I am here," replied the unknown, "I will thank the gentleman who appears to be the master of the house for the courtesy with which he has treated me. But as, unfortunately, I cannot accept his polite invitation I will beg M. Louis de Franchi to see me home."

Louis with a bound placed himself between the speaker and Chateau Renaud.

"I beg to observe, madam," said the latter between his shut teeth, "that I brought you hither and consequently I am the proper person to conduct you home."

"Gentlemen," said the unknown, "you are five, I put myself into your honourable care. I trust you will defend me from the violence of M. de Chateau Renaud!"

Chateau Renaud made a movement. We all rose at once.

"Very good, madame," he said. "You are at liberty. I know with whom I have to reckon."

"If you refer to me, sir," replied Louis de Franchi with an air of hauteur impossible to describe, "you will find me all day to-morrow at the Rue du Helder, No. 7."

"Very well, monsieur. Perhaps I shall not have the pleasure to call upon you myself, but I hope that two friends of mine may be as cordially received in my place."

"That was all that was necessary," said Louis, shrugging his shoulders disdainfully. "A challenge before a lady! Come, madame," he continued, offering his arm. "Believe me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the honour you do me."

And then they left the room, amidst the most profound silence.

"Well, gentlemen, so it seems I have lost," said Chateau Renaud, when the door closed. "That's all settled! To-morrow evening all of you sup with me at the Freres Provencaux."

CHAPTER XIV.

THE next day, or rather the same day, at ten o'clock, I called upon M.

Louis de Franchi.

As I was ascending the staircase, I met two young men coming down. One was evidently a civilian, the other wore the Legion of Honour, and though in _mufti_ I could see he was an officer.

I had, no doubt, that these gentlemen had just been with M. de Franchi, and I watched them downstairs. Then I continued my way to Louis' apartments and rang the bell.

The servant opened the door. His master was in his study.

When the man announced me, Louis, who was writing, looked up and exclaimed--

"Ah, welcome! I was just writing to you. I am very glad to see you.

Joseph, I am not at home to any one."

The servant went out and left us alone.

"Didn't you meet two gentlemen upon the stairs?" asked Louis, as he placed a chair.

"Yes, one of them was decorated."

"The same."

"I fancied they had called upon you."

"You are quite right."

"Did they come on behalf of M. de Chateau Renaud?"

"They are his seconds."

"Ah! so he has taken this matter seriously it seems."

"He could scarcely do otherwise," replied Louis.

"So they came to----."

"To request me to name two friends who would confer with them; I thought of you."

"I am really honoured by your kindness. But I cannot go alone."

"I have also written to ask an old friend, the Baron Giordano Martelli, to breakfast here. He will come at eleven. We will breakfast together, and at twelve, perhaps, you will be kind enough to go and see these gentlemen who have promised to remain at home until three o'clock. Here are their names and addresses."

Louis handed me two cards as he spoke.