"None whatever, my dear fellow!" he answered, in the same easy tone

which he had preserved all along. "And I may add that there could be

nothing more ridiculous than a quarrel between two friends like you and

me upon such a matter!"

"Let's think no more about it then!" I continued, imitating his

composure. "Since you take it so good-naturedly, I sha'n't press it.

But, having settled this first point, it remains now for us to discuss

what you have termed the confidence."

At this he could not repress a slight gesture. His dark eye flashed up,

but for a moment only: he was soon quite calm again.

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"Ah, yes!" he said carelessly; "now we've come to the second point."

"This is the point of importance for me," I added; "and I am going to

ask you, on my side, what you propose to do after this revelation?"

"I must compliment you, my dear fellow, for upon my word it's a most

wonderful romance. Do you really mean to say that this beautiful young

lady whom we have all been admiring from a distance, fascinated by her

charms, and who like a young queen has been starring it in the most

aristocratic drawing-rooms of your society, exciting enthusiastic praise

wherever she goes,--that she is your slave?--You must admit that no

mortal man could help envying you!"

"Do your compliments," I continued, "imply an engagement, on your part,

to abandon importunities, which you now recognise to be useless?"

"Oh, indeed!" he exclaimed, with a laugh; "so you're going to ask me now

to make my confession?"

Exasperated by this imperturbable composure of his, which I could not

break down, I again looked him straight in the face, and asked-"Do you mean to say you refuse to understand me?"

"No, my good sir!" he answered, resuming his peculiar smile, "I

understand you perfectly well; you want to pick a quarrel with me, or to

force me to demand satisfaction from you for a matter to which I do not

attach as much importance as you do. Between ourselves, a duel would be

an act of folly."

"Do you understand, at any rate," I retorted, "that I forbid your ever

presenting yourself before Mademoiselle Kondjé-Gul Murrah again?"

"Fie! my dear fellow! What do you take me for? After such an astonishing

confession on her part, I should prove myself deficient in the most

ordinary discretion, if I did not henceforth spare her my presence; so

you may set your mind at ease on that point."




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