"You have forfeited your honor, Monsieur. You have soiled your name with
ineffaceable opprobrium. While so much as a drop of blood remains in my
veins, I will leave no means untried to punish you for your cowardice
and vile treason.
"By killing me you would, it is true, escape the chastisement I am
reserving for you. Consent to fight with me. Shall I await you to-morrow
on the Reche? At what hour? With what weapons?
"If you are the vilest of men, you can appoint a rendezvous, and then
send your gendarmes to arrest me. That would be an act worthy of you.
"Maurice d'Escorval."
The duke was in despair. He saw the secret of the baron's flight made
public--his political prospects ruined.
"Hush!" he said, hurriedly, and in a low voice; "hush, wretched man, you
will ruin us!"
But Martial seemed not even to hear him. When he had finished his
reading:
"Now, what do you think?" he demanded, looking the Marquis de
Courtornieu full in the face.
"I am still unable to comprehend," said the old nobleman, coldly.
Martial lifted his hand; everyone believed that he was about to strike
the man who had been his father-in-law only a few hours.
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