Rolling on the ground, covered with mud, hatless, their clothes all disarranged, they were fighting with a sort of mad rage, with the stubbornness of two mortal enemies rejoicing in an opportunity of vengeance long deferred. They struck at each other in turns, collared each other, bashed each other’s faces with their fists, wrestled violently. And this amid insults and exclamations of triumph: “Here, you villain, take that!” “One for you!” “Ah, my fine fellow, you caught it this time! How did that strike you?” And they called Gilberte to witness, like the queen of a tournament in whose honour two of her knights were breaking a lance: “What do you think of that, madame?” “Got in there with my left, madame!” “Ah, he was looking out for you, the scoundrel!” “Oh, you blackguard, you were prowling round her house!” Abandoning all attempts at interference, she turned to move away. They rose with difficulty and followed her, each hustling his rival as he went on trying to get rid of him. But the heat of the struggle brought them to the ground again; and she ran away. The first street to which her steps led her came out in front of the church. The La Vaudrayes’ house was close by; and she hastened to it. No one answered when she rang the bell. Still, there was a light in the drawing-room. She tapped at one of the windows. Some one came to the door. It was Guillaume de la Vaudraye. “You, madame!” he exclaimed. “Where’s your mother? Where’s your mother?” she panted. “My mother is at Caen, on business; I am alone in the house.” She walked to the drawing-room unsteadily and sank into a chair. “What is the matter? Why are you here?” She whispered, in a broken voice: “They came.... They are following me.... I am frightened of them....” “Simare, was it?... And Le Hourteulx, I suppose ... and Beaufrelant....” “Yes ... so I daren’t go back....” “But Adèle ... and her husband?” “Gone to the fair.” He thought for a moment and said: “I will go and fetch them. It’s some way off. Take a rest until we come: you need it.” Gilberte, utterly exhausted, fell asleep. Adèle woke her. There was a taxi waiting for her. Guillaume did not show himself again. VI A NEW FRIEND Two days later Domfront could not believe its ears when it heard that all relations had been broken off between the La Vaudrayes on the one hand and Beaufrelant and Le Hourteulx on the other. The two no longer formed part of the _salon_. “Oh, nonsense! Beaufrelant and Le Hourteulx, who have been there longer than anybody, who date back to the days when the La Vaudrayes saw their friends at the Logis: it’s impossible!” “It’s quite true, for all that. I heard it from Mme. Duval, who is constantly at all three houses; and she saw the letters which Mme. de la Vaudraye wrote.” “Well, you can say what you please, but it’s a great pity. M. le Hourteulx: such a fine voice! And M. Beaufrelant: such a brilliant talker! And have you heard the reason?”