r. And than this there was no spur that could have driven more
relentlessly in his purpose, since to save her was in his eyes almost as
momentous as to avenge the past.

She conned him searchingly, and the complete calm of him at such a time
amazed her. She could not repress the mention of it.

"How calm you are, Andre!"

"I am not easily disturbed. It is a vanity of mine."

"But... Oh, Andre, this meeting must not take place!" She came close
up to him, to set her hands upon his shoulders, and stood so, her face
within a foot of his own.

"You know, of course, of some good reason why it should not?" said he.

"You may be killed," she answered him, and her eyes dilated as she
spoke.

It was so far from anything that he had expected that for a moment he
could only stare at her. Then he thought he had understood. He laughed
as he removed her hands from his shoulders, and stepped back. This was a
shallow device, childish and unworthy in her.

"Can you really think to prevail by attempting to frighten me?" he
asked, and almost sneered.

"Oh, you are surely mad! M. de La Tour d'Azyr is reputed the most
dangerous sword in France."

"Have you never noticed that most reputations are undeserved?
Chabrillane was a dangerous swordsman, and Chabrillane is underground.
La Motte-Royau was an even more dangerous swordsman, and he is in
a surgeon's hands. So are the other spadassinicides who dreamt of
skewering a poor sheep of a provincial lawyer. And here to-day comes
the chief, the fine flower of these bully-swordsmen. He comes, for
wages long overdue. Be sure of that. So if you have no other reason to
urge..."

It was the sarcasm of him that mystified her. Could he possibly be
sincere in his assurance that he must prevail against M. de La Tour
d'Azyr? To her in her limited knowledge, her mind filled with her
uncle's contrary conviction, it seemed that Andre-Louis was only acting;
he would act a part to the very end.

Be that as it might, she shifted her ground to answer him.

"You had my uncle's letter?"

"And I answered it."

"I know. But what he said, he will fulfil. Do not dream that he will
relent if you carry out this horrible purpose."

"Come, now, that is a better reason than the other," said he. "If there
is a reason in the world that could move me it would be that. But there
is too much between La Tour d'Azyr and me. There is an oath I swore on
the dead hand of Philippe de Vilmorin. I could never have ho