"Let's think no more about it then!" I continued, imitating his composure. "Since you take it so good-naturedly, I sha'n't press it. But, having settled this first point, it remains now for us to discuss what you have termed the _confidence_." At this he could not repress a slight gesture. His dark eye flashed up, but for a moment only: he was soon quite calm again. "Ah, yes!" he said carelessly; "now we've come to the second point." "This is the point of importance for me," I added; "and I am going to ask you, on my side, what you propose to do after this revelation?" "I must compliment you, my dear fellow, for upon my word it's a most wonderful romance. Do you really mean to say that this beautiful young lady whom we have all been admiring from a distance, fascinated by her charms, and who like a young queen has been starring it in the most aristocratic drawing-rooms of your society, exciting enthusiastic praise wherever she goes,--that she is your slave?--You must admit that no mortal man could help envying you!" "Do your compliments," I continued, "imply an engagement, on your part, to abandon importunities, which you now recognise to be useless?" "Oh, indeed!" he exclaimed, with a laugh; "so you're going to ask me now to make _my_ confession?" Exasperated by this imperturbable composure of his, which I could not break down, I again looked him straight in the face, and asked-- "Do you mean to say you refuse to understand me?" "No, my good sir!" he answered, resuming his peculiar smile, "I understand you perfectly well; you want to pick a quarrel with me, or to force me to demand satisfaction from you for a matter to which I do not attach as much importance as you do. Between ourselves, a duel would be an act of folly." "Do you understand, at any rate," I retorted, "that I forbid your ever presenting yourself before Mademoiselle Kondje-Gul Murrah again?" "Fie! my dear fellow! What do you take me for? After such an astonishing confession on her part, I should prove myself deficient in the most ordinary discretion, if I did not henceforth spare her my presence; so you may set your mind at ease on that point." "Do you also imply by this evasive answer that you will abandon certain plots with her mother, which I might describe in terms that would not please you?" "_Corbleu!_ I should be too heavily handicapped in such a game, you must admit. Nor do I think that the good lady would be of much service to me, from what I know of her. Moreover," he added, "you have made me your confidences, as a friend, and, late though they arrive, I shall feel bound by them henceforth, if only on the ground of the mutual consideration, which, in grave circumstances, relations owe to each other." The idea, then, occurred to me of provoking him in another way; but I clearly realised that, as he was playing such a perfidious part, it would be dangerous for me to commit this imprudence.