"Heavens be praised! He utters insults!" exclaimed Jocelyn with delight. "Oh, Sir thief, if you are not the most cowardly of two-legged hares, you will follow me on the spot behind yonder pavillion, or else I shall slap your ignoble scamp's face with the scabbard of my sword." Livid with rage, Gerard of Chaumontel was, to the extreme joy of Jocelyn, about to accept the latter's challenge, when one of his seconds said to him: "That bandit is trying to save his principal by provoking you to a fight. Fall not into the trap. Do not mind him, mind the vassal." Taking this prudent advice, Gerard of Chaumontel contemptuously answered Jocelyn: "When arms in hand I shall have convicted this other varlet of imposture, I shall then consider whether you deserve that I accept your insolent challenge." "You evidently desire to taste the scabbard of my sword," cried Jocelyn. "By heaven, I shall not deprive you of the dish; and if your hang-dog face does not redden with shame, it will redden under my slaps. Coward and felon--" "Not another word, or I shall order one of my men to expel you from the arena," said the herald-at-arms to Jocelyn; "a second has no right to insult the adversary of his own principal." Jocelyn realized that he would be compelled to yield to force, held his tongue, and cast a distracted look at Mazurec. The vicar of Nointel raised the crucifix and resumed in his nasal voice: "Appellant and appellee, do you and each of you still insist that your cause is just? Do you swear on the image of the Saviour of mankind?" and the vicar presented the crucifix to the knight, who took off his iron gauntlet and placing his hand upon the image of Christ, declared: "My cause is just, I swear to God!" "My cause is just," said in turn Mazurec; "and I take God for my witness; but let us combat quickly; oh, quickly!" "Do you swear," proceeded the vicar, "that neither of you carries about his person either stone, or herb, or any other magic charm, amulet or incantation of the enemy of man?" "I swear," said the knight. "I swear," said Mazurec panting with rage. "Oh, how much time is lost!" "And now, appellant and appellee," cried the herald-at-arms, "the lists are open to you. Do your duty." The knight of Chaumontel seized his long lance and jumped upon his horse, which one of his seconds held for him, while Jocelyn, pale and deeply moved, said to Mazurec, while giving him his stick: "Courage!... Follow my advice ... I expect you will kill that coward ... But one last word.... It regards your mother ... Did she never tell you the name of your father?" "Never ... as I told you this morning in prison. My mother always avoided speaking to me of my father." "And her name was Gervaise?" asked Jocelyn pensively. "What was the color of her hair and eyes?" "Her hair was blonde, her eyes black. Poor mother." "And had she no other mark?" "She had a small scar above her right eye-brow--"