a second," answered La Mole, patting his horse with entire
coolness.

"And what might that be?" inquired Coconnas.

"To hang you up there, by that small nail which seems to await you
beneath Monsieur de Coligny."

"What, as I am now?" asked Coconnas, "alive and merry?"

"No, sir; after I have passed my sword through your body!"

Coconnas became purple, and his eyes darted flames.

"Do you mean," said he in a bantering tone, "to that nail?"

"Yes," replied La Mole, "to that nail."

"You are not tall enough to do it, my little sir!"

"Then I'll get on your horse, my great man-slayer," replied La Mole.
"Ah, you believe, my dear Monsieur Annibal de Coconnas, that one may
with impunity assassinate people under the loyal and honorable excuse of
being a hundred to one, forsooth! But the day comes when a man finds his
man; and I believe that day has come now. I should very well like to
send a bullet through your ugly head; but, bah! I might miss you, for my
hand is still trembling from the traitorous wounds you inflicted upon
me."

"My ugly head!" shouted Coconnas, leaping down from his steed.
"Down--down from your horse, M. le Comte, and draw!"

And he drew his sword.

"I believe your Huguenot called Monsieur de Coconnas an 'ugly head,'"
whispered the Duchesse de Nevers. "Do you think he is bad looking?"

"He is charming," said Marguerite, laughing, "and I am compelled to
acknowledge that fury renders Monsieur de La Mole unjust; but hush! let
us watch!"

In fact, La Mole had dismounted from his horse with as much deliberation
as Coconnas had shown of precipitation; he had taken off his
cherry-colored cloak, laid it leisurely on the ground, drawn his sword,
and put himself on guard.

"Aie!" he exclaimed, as he stretched out his arm.

"Ouf!" muttered Coconnas, as he moved his,--for both, as it will be
remembered, had been wounded in the shoulder and it hurt them when they
made any violent movement.

A burst of laughter, ill repressed, came from the clump of bushes. The
princesses could not quite contain themselves at the sight of their two
champions rubbing their omoplates and making up faces.

This burst of merriment reached the ears of the two gentlemen, who were
ignorant that they had witnesses; turning round, they beheld their
ladies.

La Mole resumed his guard as firm as an automaton, and Coconnas crossed
his blade with an emphatic "By Heaven!"

"Ah ca! now they will murder each other in real earne