was too much. Lagron
killed by one of these bullies, and now his successor challenged, and
about to be killed by another of them on the very first day of his
appearance to take the dead man's place. Several came now to implore
Andre-Louis not to go to the Bois, to ignore the challenge and the whole
affair, which was but a deliberate attempt to put him out of the way.
He listened seriously, shook his head gloomily, and promised at last to
think it over.

He was in his seat again for the afternoon session as if nothing
disturbed him.

But in the morning, when the Assembly met, his place was vacant, and so
was M. de Chabrillane's. Gloom and resentment sat upon the members
of the Third, and brought a more than usually acrid note into their
debates. They disapproved of the rashness of the new recruit to their
body. Some openly condemned his lack of circumspection. Very few--and
those only the little group in Le Chapelier's confidence--ever expected
to see him again.

It was, therefore, as much in amazement as in relief that at a few
minutes after ten they saw him enter, calm, composed, and bland, and
thread his way to his seat. The speaker occupying the rostrum at that
moment--a member of the Privileged--stopped short to stare in incredulous
dismay. Here was something that he could not understand at all. Then
from somewhere, to satisfy the amazement on both sides of the assembly,
a voice explained the phenomenon contemptuously.

"They haven't met. He has shirked it at the last moment."

It must be so, thought all; the mystification ceased, and men were
settling back into their seats. But now, having reached his place,
having heard the voice that explained the matter to the universal
satisfaction, Andre-Louis paused before taking his seat. He felt it
incumbent upon him to reveal the true fact.

"M. le President, my excuses for my late arrival." There was no
necessity for this. It was a mere piece of theatricality, such as it
was not in Scaramouche's nature to forgo. "I have been detained by an
engagement of a pressing nature. I bring you also the excuses of M. de
Chabrillane. He, unfortunately, will be permanently absent from this
Assembly in future."

The silence was complete. Andre-Louis sat down.

CHAPTER VIII. THE PALADIN OF THE THIRD

M. Le Chevalier de Chabrillane had been closely connected, you will
remember, with the iniquitous affair in which Philippe de Vilmorin
had lost his life. We know enough