He had remembered just in time that he must not so
greatly demean himself as to cross swords with a person of no birth,
and an actor besides; all his pride revolted at the bare idea of such a
thing. An insult coming from a creature so low in the social scale could
not reach him. Does a gentleman declare war upon the mud that
bespatters him? However, it was not in his character to leave an offence
unpunished, no matter whence it proceeded, and stepping nearer to de
Sigognac he said, "You impertinent scoundrel, I will have every bone in
your body broken for you with cudgels, by my lackeys."
"You'd better take care what you do, my lord," answered the baron, in
the most tranquil tone and with the most careless air imaginable, "you'd
much better take care what you do! My bones are not so easily broken,
but cudgels may be. I do not put up with blows anywhere but on the
stage."
"However insolent you may choose to be, you graceless rascal, you cannot
provoke me to do you so much honour as to attack you myself; that is
too high an ambition for such as you to realize," said Vallombreuse,
scornfully.
"We will see about that, my lord duke," de Sigognac replied; "it may
happen that I, having less pride than yourself, will fight you, and
conquer you, with my own hands.
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