But we will leave our comedians now, and follow the Duke of Vallombreuse
and his devoted friend Vidalinc.
Quite beside himself with rage, the young duke, after the scene in the
green-room in which he had played so unsatisfactory a part to himself,
returned to his own home and there raved to Vidalinc about his revenge,
threatening the insolent captain with all manner of punishments, and
going on like a madman. His friend tried in vain to soothe him.
He rushed wildly around the room, wringing his hands, kicking the
furniture about right and left, upsetting tables and arm-chairs, and
finally, seizing a large Japanese vase, very curious and costly, threw
it violently on the floor, where it broke into a thousand pieces.
"Oh!" he shrieked, "if I could only smash that abominable blackguard
like this vase, trample him under foot as I do this debris, and then
have the remains of him swept up and thrown out into the dust-heap,
where he belongs. A miserable scoundrel, that dares to interpose between
me, the Duke of Vallombreuse, and the object of my desires! If he
were only a gentleman I would fight him, on foot or on horseback, with
swords, daggers, pistols, anything in the shape of a weapon, until I had
him down, with my foot on his breast, and could spit into the face of
his corpse.
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