Chabrillane, it seemed, after all that he had suffered, was not
even to be allowed to make a good exit.
"Very well, monsieur," he said. "Nine o'clock, then; and we'll see
if you'll talk as pertly afterwards."
On that he flung away, before the jeers of the provincial deputies.
Nor did it soothe his rage to be laughed at by urchins all the way
down the Rue Dauphine because of the mud and filth that dripped
from his satin breeches and the tails of his elegant, striped coat.
But though the members of the Third had jeered on the surface, they
trembled underneath with fear and indignation. It was too much.
Lagron killed by one of these bullies, and now his successor
challenged, and about to be killed by another of them on the very
first day of his appearance to take the dead man's place. Several
came now to implore Andre-Louis not to go to the Bois, to ignore
the challenge and the whole affair, which was but a deliberate
attempt to put him out of the way. He listened seriously, shook
his head gloomily, and promised at last to think it over.
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