"Nevertheless, you must make up your mind to that, my boy. I didn't bring you with me to fight, but to be my seconds. I am to fight with a sword. You will simply measure the two swords, to make sure that they're of the same length." "What with? I didn't bring a rule." "You measure two swords by putting them side by side. It's simple enough." "And must I say again: 'Very well; we agree'?" "No, there's no need of it. You must say: 'Everything is ready, let them proceed.' If I am wounded, you will bring me back to this cab, which will wait for us, and take me home. If it's the other who is wounded,--and it will be,--you will help his seconds to take him to his carriage. Do you understand?" "That's all right." They arrived at Porte Saint-Mande, where they alighted from the cab and walked into the woods. It was a cold, dull morning; it was not nine o'clock, and they met nobody. "We are ahead of time," said Cherami, "but I prefer to be. Above all things, my boys, be very polite to the men we are waiting for: take your hats off and bow, and don't put them on again till after they do." "What if they don't put 'em on at all?" "Never fear--they will. Now, we have nothing to do but walk back and forth and wait." "Why don't we go and take a glass of wine at the nearest inn, while we wait?" "_Dame!_" said the apprentice; "I'm with you for a glass of wine!" "But I am not with you, not by any means, messieurs. After the fight, you shall drink as much as you please, but not before." "We might treat the others to a glass when they come; that's polite, you know!" "The gentlemen who are coming don't drink at wine-shops!--No fool's tricks, sacrebleu! or you'll compromise me! But, see! that carriage coming along the road yonder is probably bringing our adversaries. It's a private carriage--the count's, no doubt. Yes, those are they. Attention, my seconds! Well, well, what in the devil are you doing? Taking off your hats before the gentlemen have left their carriage!" "You told us to be polite." "I didn't tell you to bow to the horses." The count and his seconds alighted and came toward Cherami. The grotesque aspect of the latter's attendants seemed greatly to amuse Monsieur de la Beriniere, who could not take his eyes from the two water-carriers. They, at a sign from Cherami, hastily removed their hats when the new-comers were close at hand. But the Piedmontese, in his eagerness to uncover, forgot that his hat was too large for him, and struck Monsieur de Maugrille in the nose with it, that gentleman happening to be directly in front of him. The old gentleman made an angry gesture. But the tall youth, as he picked up his hat, cried: "Excuse me! I didn't do it a-purpose! it slipped out of my hand." The count glanced at his seconds. They looked at Cherami. And he, hardly able to resist the temptation to plant his foot in the apprentice's posterior, struggled to restrain himself, as he said: