Monsieur Cherami Part 82

"Why have you rigged that fellow up like that?" she asked her tenant.

"He'll just ruin my husband's things. I wouldn't have lent 'em to you, if I'd known you wanted 'em for him. Are you going to a wedding so early in the morning?"

"Widow Louchard, I will be responsible for your chattels--don't bother us! Your man's cast-off clothes are more fortunate than they deserve, to be present at such a festivity.--Get in, messieurs."

Cherami pushed the water-carrier and his man into the cab, and shouted to the driver to take them to Porte Saint-Mande; then, taking a seat beside his seconds, he said to them:

"Listen carefully to my instructions for this morning, and, ten thousand cigars! try not to make any mistakes; I am going to fight with a third gentleman, whom you didn't see yesterday."

"Ah! you ought to fight with your fists; that's our way; we're good hands at it; eh, Piedmontese?"

"Yes, just let me get a crack at 'em! I'd like that better than to stand and say nothing, like a stuffed goose!"

"Nevertheless, you must make up your mind to that, my boy. I didn't bring you with me to fight, but to be my seconds. I am to fight with a sword. You will simply measure the two swords, to make sure that they're of the same length."

"What with? I didn't bring a rule."

"You measure two swords by putting them side by side. It's simple enough."

"And must I say again: 'Very well; we agree'?"

"No, there's no need of it. You must say: 'Everything is ready, let them proceed.' If I am wounded, you will bring me back to this cab, which will wait for us, and take me home. If it's the other who is wounded,--and it will be,--you will help his seconds to take him to his carriage. Do you understand?"

"That's all right."

They arrived at Porte Saint-Mande, where they alighted from the cab and walked into the woods. It was a cold, dull morning; it was not nine o'clock, and they met n.o.body.

"We are ahead of time," said Cherami, "but I prefer to be. Above all things, my boys, be very polite to the men we are waiting for: take your hats off and bow, and don't put them on again till after they do."

"What if they don't put 'em on at all?"

"Never fear--they will. Now, we have nothing to do but walk back and forth and wait."

"Why don't we go and take a gla.s.s of wine at the nearest inn, while we wait?"

"_Dame!_" said the apprentice; "I'm with you for a gla.s.s of wine!"

"But I am not with you, not by any means, messieurs. After the fight, you shall drink as much as you please, but not before."

"We might treat the others to a gla.s.s when they come; that's polite, you know!"

"The gentlemen who are coming don't drink at wine-shops!--No fool's tricks, sacrebleu! or you'll compromise me! But, see! that carriage coming along the road yonder is probably bringing our adversaries. It's a private carriage--the count's, no doubt. Yes, those are they.

Attention, my seconds! Well, well, what in the devil are you doing?

Taking off your hats before the gentlemen have left their carriage!"

"You told us to be polite."

"I didn't tell you to bow to the horses."

The count and his seconds alighted and came toward Cherami. The grotesque aspect of the latter's attendants seemed greatly to amuse Monsieur de la Beriniere, who could not take his eyes from the two water-carriers. They, at a sign from Cherami, hastily removed their hats when the new-comers were close at hand. But the Piedmontese, in his eagerness to uncover, forgot that his hat was too large for him, and struck Monsieur de Maugrille in the nose with it, that gentleman happening to be directly in front of him.

The old gentleman made an angry gesture. But the tall youth, as he picked up his hat, cried:

"Excuse me! I didn't do it a-purpose! it slipped out of my hand."

The count glanced at his seconds. They looked at Cherami. And he, hardly able to resist the temptation to plant his foot in the apprentice's posterior, struggled to restrain himself, as he said:

"Monsieur is a Pole; he speaks French very badly! indeed, he fairly murders it."

"So we observe," rejoined the count, with a smile. "But it's none too warm here, and I am anxious to have done with this affair. It seems to me that we shall be very well placed behind this low wall."

"I agree with you, monsieur le comte."

They walked a short distance, and halted behind a wall which would serve to conceal the combatants from any chance pa.s.sers-by. While the princ.i.p.als removed their coats, the younger of the count's seconds handed to the water-carrier two swords which he carried out of sight under his overcoat. The Auvergnat measured them so long that Cherami went to him and took one out of his hands.

"They're all right!" he exclaimed; "they're exactly alike! I will take this one, unless monsieur le comte prefers it."

But Monsieur de la Beriniere at once took the other, while his older second grumbled:

"In G.o.d's name, who are these two idiots of seconds who know absolutely nothing as to what they are doing?"

Cherami at once stood on guard, saying:

"At your service, monsieur le comte, whenever you choose."

"I am here, monsieur."

Monsieur de la Beriniere had been a very good fencer in his youth, but years had impaired his agility and strength. It was easy to see that Cherami was sparing his adversary, to whom he observed, as he parried his thrusts:

"Well done, monsieur le comte! very pretty work, indeed! You must have been a fine fencer formerly."

But these compliments, instead of flattering the count, stung and irritated him, because he saw that his opponent was playing with him; and he suddenly cried:

"What the devil! in G.o.d's name, monsieur, attack! you confine yourself to parrying! Do you think you're fighting with a novice?"

"Is that your wish, monsieur le comte? Solely to comply then----"

And Cherami, suddenly striking down his adversary's sword, plunged his own into the count's right side.

Monsieur de la Beriniere staggered a moment, then fell.

"_Fouchtra!_ he's got his reckoning!" cried the Auvergnat, while the count's witnesses ran forward to help him and carry him off the field.

But, at a sign from Cherami, the tall Piedmontese lifted the wounded man in his arms as if he were a child, and carried him to the elegant equipage, in which a surgeon was waiting, who had come with the gentlemen, but whom they had not thought it necessary to take with them to the field of battle.

"There's one job done!" said the young water-carrier.

The count's seconds could hardly keep up with him. In the end, they seated themselves by the wounded man's side in the carriage, which drove away at a walk.

"The wound can't be dangerous," said Cherami to his seconds, when they were alone; "it's in among the ribs. He will be laid up a fortnight or three weeks, unless I touched some vital part. Ah! they forgot to take away their sword. I will carry it back myself, and that will give me an opportunity to inquire for the count."