Coldly polite, the old Frenchman indicated a chair, but Anthony said: "Some of what I have to say concerns mademoiselle; would it be asking too much if I desired her presence?" A few moments later she came into the room; Anthony met her proud, cold look with one steady and undisturbed. And he said: "All day the city has been pulsing with certain news that's come in; no doubt you've heard, Monsieur Lafargue, how the schooner _Le Mousquet_ has taken the American ship _Eclipse_." Monsieur nodded, but was silent. "Seizures have been expected of late," said Anthony; "for numbers of private armed ships, sanctioned by the French minister, Genêt, and provided with papers by him, have been operating in the waters round about." Anthony looked from the old man to the girl. "There are many who think the citizen is venturing far in these things," he said. "And there are a few who think rash advice is being given him--advice, indeed, that will lead to his undoing." A lean, shaking hand went to Monsieur Lafargue's lips, and he coughed nervously. "You have come here to say this?" he asked. "In part, yes; but only in part." A few hours before, said Anthony, he had talked with a man, marked for his keenness, and it was this man's thought that the advice given Citizen Genêt had not originated with the person who gave it. The things done had been intemperate and unwise. The old head of Monsieur Lafargue was high held at this; his eagle face looked cold and proud; but there was a tremor in the thin hands as they lay upon the arm of his chair. And he desired the young man to proceed. Anthony called to mind the night at the Crooked Billet: mademoiselle remembered that? Monsieur did not forget? Mr. Tarrant had wanted to arrange a duel. A preposterous thing! And did monsieur know why he so desired this? "A blow had been given," said monsieur. But why? A blow is seldom given except for cause. And there was cause enough behind this one, as monsieur would learn, if he cared to listen. "In things that concern you personally, sir--" began Monsieur Lafargue, in his cold voice, but Anthony stopped him. Let there be no misunderstanding of the matter, the young man requested, with the sharp, biting note that sometimes came into his voice; this was a concern of monsieur's. It had more to do with monsieur than any one else in the world. And now would he hear it? Monsieur signed, with a shaking hand, that he would. Very well. In the telling, said Anthony, he must go back; he must start at Brest, and with the letter which monsieur had received from Magruder. "Accursed letter!" said monsieur. "Accursed letter!"