the count of Chateau-Renaud knew how much pleasure this introduction
would give me; you are his friend, be ours also."

"Well said," interrupted Chateau-Renaud; "and pray that, if you should
ever be in a similar predicament, he may do as much for you as he did
for me."

"What has he done?" asked Albert.

"Oh, nothing worth speaking of," said Morrel; "M. de Chateau-Renaud
exaggerates."

"Not worth speaking of?" cried Chateau-Renaud; "life is not worth
speaking of!--that is rather too philosophical, on my word, Morrel. It
is very well for you, who risk your life every day, but for me, who only
did so once"--

"We gather from all this, baron, that Captain Morrel saved your life."

"Exactly so."

"On what occasion?" asked Beauchamp.

"Beauchamp, my good fellow, you know I am starving," said Debray: "do
not set him off on some long story."

"Well, I do not prevent your sitting down to table," replied Beauchamp,
"Chateau-Renaud can tell us while we eat our breakfast."

"Gentlemen," said Morcerf, "it is only a quarter past ten, and I expect
some one else."

"Ah, true, a diplomatist!" observed Debray.

"Diplomat or not, I don't know; I only know that he charged himself
on my account with a mission, which he terminated so entirely to my
satisfaction, that had I been king, I should have instantly created him
knight of all my orders, even had I been able to offer him the Golden
Fleece and the Garter."

"Well, since we are not to sit down to table," said Debray, "take a
glass of sherry, and tell us all about it."

"You all know that I had the fancy of going to Africa."

"It is a road your ancestors have traced for you," said Albert
gallantly.

"Yes? but I doubt that your object was like theirs--to rescue the Holy
Sepulchre."

"You are quite right, Beauchamp," observed the young aristocrat. "It was
only to fight as an amateur. I cannot bear duelling since two seconds,
whom I had chosen to arrange an affair, forced me to break the arm of
one of my best friends, one whom you all know--poor Franz d'Epinay."

"Ah, true," said Debray, "you did fight some time ago; about what?"

"The devil take me, if I remember," returned Chateau-Renaud. "But I
recollect perfectly one thing, that, being unwilling to let such talents
as mine sleep, I wished to try upon the Arabs the new pistols that had
been given to me. In consequence I embarked for Oran, and went from
thence to Constantine, where I arrived just in time to witnes