"I say easy," continued the duke, "because he did not fight on equal terms with you. There was one thing, however, that impressed me particularly in the version that was given me of that episode,"--and the duke fixed his little eyes upon the viscountess more sharply than ever. There was no way for Madame de Cambes to retreat with honor, so she prepared to make as vigorous a defence as possible. "Tell me what it was that struck you so forcibly, Monsieur le Duc," said she. "It was the very great skill, madame, with which you played that little comic part; in fact, if I am to believe what I hear, the officer had already seen your squire and yourself." These last words, although uttered with the studied indifference of a man of tact, did not fail to produce a deep impression upon Madame de Cambes. "He had seen me, monsieur, do you say?" "One moment, madame; let us understand each other; it's not I who say it, but that indefinite personage called 'they' to whose power kings are as submissive as the lowest of their subjects." "Where had he seen me, may I ask?" "_They say_ that it was on the way from Libourne to Chantilly, at a village called Jaulnay; but the interview was cut short, as the gentleman received an order from Monsieur d'Épernon to start at once for Mantes." "But if this gentleman had seen me before, Monsieur le Duc, how could he have failed to recognize me?" "Ah! the famous _they_ of whom I spoke just now, and who have an answer for every question, would say that the thing was possible, as the interview took place in the dark." "Really, Monsieur le Duc," said the viscountess, in dismay, "I am at a loss to understand what you mean by that." "In that case," rejoined the duke, with assumed good-nature, "I must have been ill-informed; and then, what does a mere momentary encounter amount to, after all? It is true, madame," he added gallantly, "that your face and figure are calculated to leave a deep impression, even after an interview lasting only an instant." "But that would not be possible," the viscountess retorted, "if, as you yourself say, the interview took place in the dark." "Very true, and you parry cleverly, madame. I must be the one who is mistaken, then, unless the young man had noticed you even before the interview at Jaulnay, which in that case would not be precisely a meeting." "What would it be, then? Be careful of your words, Monsieur le Duc." "As you see, I am hesitating; our dear French language is so poor that I seek in vain for a word to express my thought. It would be what is called, in Italian, an _appuntamento_; in English, an _assignation._" "If I am not mistaken, Monsieur le Duc," said Claire, "those two words are translated in French by _rendez-vous?_" "Go to!" exclaimed the duke; "here I have said a foolish thing in two foreign languages, and lo! I stumble upon a person who understands them both! Pardon me, madame; it seems that Italian and English are as poor as French."