About midday, the pretty widow paid her customary visit to Monsieur de la Beriniere, whom she found installed in his easy-chair _a la_ Voltaire, drinking herb tea. "How are you to-day, my dear count?" she inquired, taking a seat by the convalescent's side. "I am getting on very slowly, thank you, fair lady; the wound has entirely healed, but my strength doesn't return very fast." "What are you drinking there?" "An infusion of linden leaves." "Do you think that that stuff will ever bring back your strength?" "My doctor says that it's an excellent thing. It's very soothing." "It seems to me that you are quite calm enough. Look you, count, I haven't much confidence in your doctor." "But, you see, he has cured my wound." "Your wound would have healed of itself; that wasn't a disease; but now, instead of giving you something to build you up, he puts you on herb tea and slops; he treats you like a child!" "Perhaps you are right, dear lady. It's a fact that he is keeping me to this diet a good while, on the pretext that I must be prudent." "If you listen to him, you'll be under the same treatment six months hence. But enough of that subject; I am intrusted with a singular errand to you." "What is it, dear lady?" "The man with whom you fought this duel----" "Monsieur Cherami?" "Exactly. Monsieur Cherami called on me this morning----" "The deuce! did he undertake to challenge you also?" "Oh, no! far from it! He came to ask my pardon for his conduct. He realizes his mistake; he is in despair at what he did; and he wishes, as a great favor, to be allowed to come to offer you his apologies and tell you how delighted he is at your recovery." "Pardieu! he's an extraordinary mortal! He insists upon fighting for his friend----" "Yes; it was in a moment of exasperation." "And now he's sorry for it! But I bear the fellow no ill-will at all. He fences very well; ah! he's an excellent blade!" "And you will allow him to come to offer his apologies?" "Willingly; but listen: only on condition that he will tell me who the two seconds were that he brought with him. You can't form an idea, madame, of those two men, who certainly had never assisted at such a performance before! It was enough to make you burst with laughing. De Gervier was much amused; but De Maugrille was on the point of losing his temper; he wanted to fight them. It was altogether funny, I assure you." "Then you are willing that Monsieur Cherami should come to see you?" "Yes, on the condition I have suggested." "He will readily agree to that, I fancy; he is to come to me to-morrow morning to learn your reply, and I will send him to you." "Very good! I must say that this Monsieur Cherami seemed to me no less clever than original." Cherami did not fail to return to Madame Monleard's on the following day; she told him that Monsieur de la Beriniere consented to receive him, on condition that he would tell him who his seconds were.