"My dear Ravil," interposed M. de Mornand, firmly, "you are going entirely too far. As M. de Maillefort descends to sarcasm and threats, I deem it proper to refuse him any explanation whatever, and M. de Maillefort is at perfect liberty to impute any meaning he pleases to my words." "Impute any meaning to your words?" exclaimed the hunchback, laughing. "Really, I could not take any such task as that upon myself. That is the business of your honourable colleagues in the Chamber of Peers when you treat them to one of those superb speeches--which you alone have the ability to understand--" "Let us put an end to this," exclaimed M. de Mornand, exasperated beyond endurance. "Consider my words as insulting as any words could possibly be, monsieur." "You are mad," cried Ravil. "All this is, or will be, supremely ridiculous if taken seriously." "You are right, my poor baron," said the marquis, with a contrite air; "it will become supremely ridiculous as you say, but, monsieur, see what a good fellow I am, I will be content with the following apology made verbally by M. de Mornand in the presence of three or four witnesses of my own choosing: 'M. le Marquis de Maillefort, I very humbly and contritely ask your pardon for having dared--'" "Enough, monsieur!" exclaimed M. de Mornand. "You must believe me either a coward or an egregious fool." "So you refuse the reparation I demand?" asked the marquis; "you refuse it, absolutely?" "Absolutely, monsieur, absolutely." "Then I feel obliged to terminate this interview as I began it, by again having the honour to say to you: 'Will you do me the favour to act as my vis-a-vis?'" "What, monsieur, as your vis-a-vis?" repeated M. de Mornand, in profound astonishment. "My vis-a-vis in a _danse a deux_," added the hunchback, with a meaning gesture. "Do you understand me?" "A duel--with you?" cried M. de Mornand, who, in his first transport of anger, had forgotten the high social position of the hunchback, and the ridicule which would be heaped upon him if he engaged in a personal encounter with such an adversary. "A duel with you, monsieur? Really--" "Are you going to plead as an excuse that such a position would be too--too remarkable or too dangerous, as your friend Ravil would say?" "No, monsieur, I do not consider it too dangerous--but too ridiculous." "Yes, frightfully ridiculous to you, as I remarked to your honest friend here a moment ago." "Really, gentlemen," exclaimed Ravil, "I will never permit--" Then seeing Gerald de Senneterre passing through the garden, he added: "Here comes the Duc de Senneterre, the son of the house. I shall ask him to assist me in putting a stop to this foolish quarrel." "Yes, gentlemen, the duke's coming is most opportune," replied the hunchback. And turning towards the young man, he called out: "Gerald, my friend, we need your assistance." "What is the matter, marquis?" asked Gerald, in a manner that was both deferential and affectionate.