, sir, I must ask
others."

"You'll be wiser to ask nobody," he said menacingly.

"Nay, I shall be no wiser if I ask nobody," I retorted with a smile.

"Yet you'll tell nobody of what has passed," said he, advancing towards
me with the plain intention of imposing his will on me by fear, since
persuasion failed. I rose to my feet and answered, mimicking his
insolent words,

"I give promises, sir, when I please, and not to every fellow who
chooses to ask them of me."

"You shall give me your promise before you leave this room," he cried.

His voice had been rising in passion and was now loud and fierce.
Whether the sound of it had reached the room above, or whether the Duke
and Carford had grown weary of one another, I do not know, but as the
French gentleman uttered this last threat Carford opened the door, stood
aside to let his Grace enter, and followed himself. As they came in, we
were in a most hostile attitude; for the Frenchman's pistol was in his
hand, and my hand had flown to the hilt of my sword. The Duke looked at
us in astonishment.

"Why, what's this, gentlemen?" he said. "Mr Dale, are you at variance
with this gentleman?" But before I had time to answer him, he had
stepped forward and seen the Frenchman's face. "Why, here is M. de
Fontelles!" he cried in surprise. "I am very pleased to see you, sir,
again in England. Carford, here is M. de Fontelles. You were acquainted
with him when he was in the suite of the French Ambassador? You carry a
message, sir?"

I listened keenly to all that the Duke's words told me. M. de Fontelles
bowed low, but his confusion was in no way abated, and he made no answer
to his Grace's question. The Duke turned to me, saying with some
haughtiness,

"This gentleman is a friend of mine, Mr Dale. Pray why was your hand on
your sword?"

"Because the gentleman's pistol was in his hand, sir."

"You appear always to be very ready for a quarrel, Mr Dale," said the
Duke, with a glance at Carford. "Pray, what's the dispute?"

"I'll tell your Grace the whole matter," said I readily enough, for I
had nothing to blame myself with.

"No, I won't have it told," cried M. de Fontelles.

"It's my pleasure to hear it," said the Duke coldly.

"Well, sir, it was thus," said I, with a candid air. "I protested to
this gentleman that my French was sadly to seek; he was polite enough to
assure me that I spoke it well. Upon this I owned to some small
knowledge, and for an example I said