De Guiche reflected for a moment; and the thought which had already presented itself to him became more confirmed--that De Wardes wished to have witnesses present, in order to bring back the conversation about Madame, and to give a new turn to the combat. He avoided saying a word in reply, therefore: and, as De Wardes once more looked at him interrogatively, he replied, by a movement of the head, that it would be best to let things remain as they were. The two adversaries consequently set off, and left the chateau by the same gate, close to which we may remember to have seen Montalais and Malicorne together. The night, as if to counteract the extreme heat of the day, had gathered the clouds together in masses which were moving slowly along from the west to the east. The vault above, without a clear spot anywhere visible, or without the faintest indication of thunder, seemed to hang heavily over the earth, and soon began, by the force of the wind, to be split up into fragments, like a huge sheet torn into shreds. Large and warm drops of rain began to fall heavily, and gathered the dust into globules, which rolled along the ground. At the same time, the hedges, which seemed conscious of the approaching storm, the thirsty plants, the drooping branches of the trees, exhaled a thousand aromatic odors, which revived in the mind tender recollections, thoughts of youth, endless life, happiness, and love. "How fresh the earth smells," said De Wardes; "it is a piece of coquetry of hers to draw us to her." "By-the-by," replied De Guiche, "several ideas have just occurred to me; and I wish to have your opinion upon them." "Relative to?" "Relative to our engagement." "It is quite time, in fact, that we should begin to arrange matters." "It is to be an ordinary combat, and conducted according to established custom?" "Let me first know what your established custom is." "That we dismount in any particular plain that may suit us, then fasten our horses to the nearest object, meet each without our pistols in our hands, afterward retire for a hundred and fifty paces, in order to advance on each other." "Very good: that is precisely the way in which I killed poor Follinent three weeks ago, at Saint-Denis." "I beg your pardon, but you forget one circumstance." "What is that?" "That in your duel with Follinent you advanced toward each other on foot, your swords between your teeth, and your pistols in your hands." "True." "While now, on the contrary, as I cannot walk, you yourself admit that we shall have to mount our horses again and charge; and the first who wishes to fire will do so." "That is the best course, no doubt; but it is quite dark; we must make allowance for more missed shots than would be the case in the daytime." "Very well; each will fire three times; the pair of pistols already loaded, and one reload." "Excellent! Where shall our engagement take place?" "Have you any preference?" "No."