"The same; that is, I don't know whether Gustave was Madame Monleard's play-fellow, but I do know that he had become her heart's fellow. However, without going into that, he was on the point of marrying the young widow, when your appearance changed everything. You are a count, you are rich; the little woman is a flirt of the first order; she whirled about like a weathercock. By the way, this isn't the first time she has taken the same turn. King Francois I said: '_Souvent femme varie, bien fol est qui s'y fie._'[D] Which proves that that king had made a careful study of the fair sex--a study which cost him rather dear! but, never mind that; thus you, monsieur le comte, are the cause of Madame Monleard's having abruptly given my friend Gustave the mitten, instead of marrying him. And now, do you begin to suspect what brings me here?" "Why, yes, I fancy so; you are sent by this young Gustave, who desires to fight with me?" "That isn't it exactly. You are burning, but you're not quite there. This is how it is: Gustave has no thought of fighting; not that he lacks courage; oh! he's brave enough, I would answer for him as for myself!--but he has such a soft spot in his heart for the widow that he's afraid that, by killing you, he might distress her. The poor boy is in despair; and when he's in despair, he leaves Paris, he goes abroad, seeks distraction in other climes--and what I don't understand is that he comes back as dead in love as when he went away; for I must tell you, monsieur le comte, that you're not the first to cut the grass from under his feet, as they say; he was to have married Mademoiselle Fanny Gerbault, when Monsieur Auguste Monleard came upon the scene; he had the prestige of wealth and fine social position, and poor Gustave was shown the door. To-day, therefore, we have a second performance of the same play, with this difference: that now my young friend has an excellent position in his uncle's banking-house; but that you have a title and a fine turnout, and are much richer than he." "Well, monsieur, as your young friend doesn't think of fighting--which is very wise of him, by the way, for I fancy that it wouldn't increase the widow's affection for him; and, between ourselves, as he had been rejected once, I am a good deal surprised that he came forward a second time----" "I agree with you, par la sambleu! I wouldn't have been the man to act in that way! A woman who had slighted me for another man--that's much worse than deceiving! Men are deceived every day, and it's forgiven; but slighted, disdained! However, what would you have! passions are passions! Gustave is to be pitied." "I pity him with all my heart; but I return to my question: that being so, what can have brought you here?"