"My lord duke knows that I am entirely devoted to his service--even to
being hanged, if it seems good to your lordship."
"Enough of that cant!" interrupted the duke impatiently. "Didn't I
charge you to have that cursed de Sigognac, otherwise Captain Fracasse,
cleared out of my way? You have not done it--my orders have not been
obeyed. It is worth while, upon my word, to keep confounded hired
rascals to do such work for me, at this rate! All that you are good for
is to stuff yourself in the kitchen, you dastardly beast, and to guzzle
my good wine from morning until night. But I've had enough of this, by
Jove! and if there is not a change, and that without any further loss
of time, to the hangman you shall go--do you hear? just as sure as you
stand there, gaping like a drivelling idiot."
"My lord duke," said Merindol in a trembling voice, "is unjust to his
faithful servant, who desires nothing but to do his lord's bidding. But
this Baron de Sigognac is not to be disposed of so easily as my lord
believes. Never was there a braver, more fearless man. In our first
attack on him, at Poitiers, he got the better of us in a most wonderful
way--we never saw the like of it--and all he had to fight with was a
dull, rusty sword, not intended for use at all; a theatre sword, just
for looks.
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