All eyes turned instinctively to the further pillar in the large room, against which was leaning my poor friend, his face perfectly livid, and in an attitude as if he had fallen against the granite column for support. Several of the young Creoles approached the place where he stood; but there was something terrible in his aspect which made them start back, and quietly turn into the great passage leading to the street. Medwin had recovered, if he had fainted, (which seemed probable,) and his eye now glared like fire. St. Maur, however, approached him. "So, my good Yankee friend," said he, bowing in affected politeness, "you did not like to risk Allington here with a pistol at twelve paces from your body, eh? You are very right, Mr. Wooden Nutmeg; it would not be safe!" "Beware!" uttered Medwin, in such a deep and thrilling voice, that the Creole nearly jumped off the floor; but, before he could make a step backward, Medwin's open hand struck him a smart blow on the cheek. "Ten thousand hell-fires exclaimed the astonished Frenchman, leaping back and almost tumbling over Allington, in his amazement. "What does he mean? I will have your heart's blood, sir, for this." Medwin said nothing, but quietly handed the discomfited bully his card, which, however, Allington snatched away. "What, St. Maur," cried he, would you fight a coward--a published poltroon? You know you dare not do it." "Let me alone," cried the infuriated Frenchman. He has struck me, and I will have his heart's blood. _Sacre nomme de Dieu!_" screamed he, forgetting his usual polished manner along with his English, and leaping about like a madman. "_Donnez moi son gage!_" "Not now, I tell you, not now. Come along and I will satisfy you in ten minutes that you cannot fight that _coward_," emphasizing the last word, so that Medwin could not fail to hear. "Mr. Allington," said Medwin, coming forward into the middle of the group, now reduced to some dozen persons--for an altercation is not of such rarity as to create any particular excitement there--"after the base and dishonorable use you have this day permitted to be made of a private letter, I am sincerely glad that circumstances rendered it impossible for me to treat you as a gentleman; but as to this person, (pointing to St. Maur,) I can easily satisfy him that he will run no risk of losing his reputation by honoring me with his notice. I have the honor to refer Monsieur St. Maur to Mr. ----, now at the St. Charles, whose character for honor is too well known throughout the country to be disputed." And, bowing low, Medwin left the room. "Well, now this is a pretty scrape," said St. Maur, subsiding at once; "and I don't see how I can avoid fighting him. He is not such a cockroach!" and the Frenchman turned a little pale, despite his yellow skin.