ate of brute. His fist, outstretched to the length of his arm, shook
the reptile letter under a terrible frown.

Tresten saw that he supposed himself to be perfectly master of his acts
because he had not spoken, and had managed to preserve the ordinary
courtesies.

'You have done your commission,' the colonel said to Count Walburg,
whose companion was not disposed to go without obtaining satisfactory
assurances, and pressed for them.

Alvan fastened on him. 'You adopt the responsibility of this?' He
displayed the letter.

'I do.'

'It lies.'

Tresten remarked to Count Walburg: 'These visits are provocations.'

'They are not so intended,' said the count, bowing pacifically. His
friend was not a man of the sword, and was not under the obligation to
accept an insult. They left the letter to do its work.

Big natures in their fits of explosiveness must be taken by flying
shots, as dwarfs peep on a monster, or the Scythian attacked a phalanx.
Were we to hear all the roarings of the shirted Heracles, a world of
comfortable little ones would doubt the unselfishness of his love of
Dejaneira. Yes, really; they would think it was not a chivalrous love:
they would consider that he thought of himself too much. They would
doubt, too, of his being a gentleman! Partial glimpses of him, one may
fear, will be discomposing to simple natures. There was a short black
eruption. Alvan controlled it, to ask hastily what the baroness thought
and what she had heard of Clotilde. Tresten made sign that it was
nothing of the best.

'See! my girl has hundreds of enemies, and I, only I, know her and can
defend her--weak, base shallow trickster, traitress that she is!' cried
Alvan, and came down in a thundershower upon her: 'Yesterday--the day
before--when? just now, here, in this room; gave herself--and now!'
He bent, and immediately straightening his back, addressed Colonel von
Tresten as her calumniator, 'Say your worst of her, and I say I will
make of that girl the peerless woman of earth! I! in earnest! it's no
dream. She can be made.... O God! the beast has turned tail! I knew she
could. There 's three of beast to one of goddess in her, and set
her alone, and let her be hunted and I not by, beast it is with her!
cowardly skulking beast--the noblest and very bravest under my wing!
Incomprehensible to you, Tresten? But who understands women! You hate
her. Do not. She 's a riddle, but no worse than the rest of the tangle.
She gives me