The False Chevalier

  CHAPTER XXVIII

  ANOTHER DUEL

  Lecour's temper gave out at the irreconcilability of Louis during theduel, and as soon as he reached the quarters he commenced to returninsult for insult. He exclaimed among his companions that _Lery_, as hecalled him, and his family were petty skin-merchants of Quebec and kepta shop in their house; that his father had acquired some contemptuousfavour with the British Governors on account of his having been thefirst Canadian to turn traitor to the French King, and that _Lery's_lies and slanders were just what was to be expected of a breed so base.The sympathy of the company was with Germain. All took his part, and hisstatements were reported to the officers of the Villeroy. The latterinsisted on de Lery's vindicating his and their honour by anotherchallenge, and compelled him to write it the same day; and Germainreceived it during the evening. The second who forwarded it politelyrequested that the time to be named be soon, as the Villeroys desired toreturn without delay to Chalons.

  "Let it be immediately," answered Lecour. "There is a full moon and noneed to wait another hour."

  So the adversaries, with seconds and surgeon, rode out to an open spotin the same wood as before, where the two stripped off their coats andwaistcoats, tucked up their laces, were handed their rapiers, andcommenced.

  From the first it was evidently to be a deadly fight.

  Conscious of this, however, they were both on the watch, and it was someminutes before more than a pass or two was made, and these withoutresult. The moonlight, too, though the seconds had placed them as fairlyas possible, was at best not absolutely clear and enforced prudence, foreven the brightest moonlight is deceptive.

  At last de Lery, with a clever movement, got in a savage thrust, fromwhich Lecour only saved himself by extreme alertness with a little grazeof the neck. De Lery was the better trained swordsman of the two, and itwas evident that his loss in the previous duel was due to his furiousrecklessness on that occasion. Now that the blood of both was up de Leryhad again the superiority.

  No sooner had the seconds permitted the fight to continue, after thescratch to Germain, than the latter, stung by rage, instantly thrust andhissed--

  "Son of a traitor!"

  The wild passion which these words aroused in de Lery saved Lecour. Asit was he was nearly disarmed, and was subjected for several minutes toa series of onslaughts, which called on all his activity and the wholestrength of his wrist.

  "Hound! hog! soul of muck! _canaille!_ adventurer! cheat!"

  Such epithets came thick and fast with the strokes of de Lery, and wereanswered by "Slanderer! reptile! traitor! liar!" from the set lips ofLecour.

  At last, with a fiery spring, de Lery, having lost all self-control,threw himself upon his enemy, and received a terrible slash up thesword-arm, which finished the battle and threw him sidelong on theground, while bright red blood spouted all over his breast, and thesurgeon and seconds ran to attend to him. He lost consciousness and fellback, limp and ghastly.

  No sooner had he fallen than a figure in black sprang out of the wood,brandishing his sword, and shouting--

  "Well done, our champion! I will finish your work"; and rushing at theprostrate man, over whom the seconds were bending, he pushed them aside,and was on the point of driving the weapon into his body.

  Lecour threw himself forward and struck up the steel with his own.

  "Coward!" he shouted, preparing for further defence of his lateantagonist, while the astonishment of Grancey and his fellow-second atthe apparition held them momentarily helpless.

  "I am no coward, but the Instrument of Vengeance. His blood has slainmine. The scales of heaven are nice to a hair. Let me kill him!" and thestranger's sword glittered again in a sudden movement. But this timeGrancey seized him, and his colleague assisted in overcoming the man'sstruggles.

  "It is a madman," said the surgeon, his hands occupied with hisbandages; "keep him safe till I can finish this work."

  "A madman, yes!" shouted Philibert; "and who made me mad? It was one ofthis man's race of murderers and traitors. Justice will only sleep whenhe too dies by the sword, like my father, whom they slew. Let me strike!let me kill him! or, if you will not let me kill him, I will depart, forthe hour of Justice it seems is not yet."

  "Depart quickly then," sternly said the surgeon, taking advantage of theturn in his mood, and at the words the seconds released the maniac.

  Philibert ran again into the woods and disappeared.

  "There is too much loss of blood--too much," the surgeon remarkedgravely.

  Lecour, wondering and agitated, divined, while the others were occupied,the identity of the visitant.