“I am quite sure,” he said, “that it would be better for me not to go, but nevertheless I am going.”

Louis was too pre-occupied to talk when we met at the masked ball, and he suddenly left me for a lady carrying violets.  Later he rejoined me, and together we set off to supper at three o’clock in the morning.  It was my friend D——­’s supper party, and he had included Louis in the invitation.

We found our friends waiting supper, and D——­ announced that the only person who had not arrived was Chateau-Renard.  It seemed there was a wager on that M. de Chateau-Renard would not arrive with a certain lady whom he had undertaken to bring to supper.

Louis, who was as pale as death, implored D——­ not to mention the lady’s name, and our host acceded to the request.

“Only as her husband is at Smyrna, or in India or Mexico or somewhere, and in such a case it’s the same as if the lady wasn’t married,” D——­ observed.

“I assure you her husband is coming back soon, and he is such a good fellow he would be horribly mortified to hear his wife had done anything silly in his absence.”

Chateau-Renard had till four o’clock to save his bet.  At five minutes to four he had not arrived, and Louis smiled at me over his wine.  At that very moment the bell rang.  D——­ went to the door, and we could hear some argument going on in the hall.

Then a lady entered with obvious reluctance, escorted by D——­ and Chateau-Renard.

“It’s not yet four,” said Chateau-Renard to D——.

“Quite right, my boy,” the other answered.  “You’ve won your bet.”

“No, hardly yet, sir,” said the unknown lady.  “Now I know why you were so persistent.  You have wagered to bring me here to supper, and I supposed you were taking me to sup with one of my own friends.”

Both Chateau-Renard and D——­ besought the lady to stay, but the fair unknown, after expressing her thanks to D——­ for his welcome, turned to M. Louis de Franchi, and asked him to escort her home.  Louis at once sprang forward.

Chateau-Renard, furious, insisted that he would know whom to hold accountable.

“If I am the person meant,” said Louis, with great dignity, “you will find me at home at 7, Rue du Helder all day to-morrow.”

Louis departed with his fair companion, and though Chateau-Renard was ostentatiously cheerful, the end of the supper-party was not at all a festive business.

At ten o’clock the same morning I arrived at the rooms of M. Louis de Franchi.  The seconds of Chateau-Renard had already called, and I passed them on the stairs.

Louis had written me a note; with another friend, Baron Giordano Martelli, the affair was to be arranged with Baron de Chateaugrand, and M. de Boissy, the gentleman I had met on the stairs.

I looked at the cards of these two men, and asked Louis if the matter was of any great seriousness.

Louis replied by telling the story of the quarrel.  A friend of his, a sea captain, had married a beautiful woman, so beautiful and so young that Louis could not help falling in love with her.  As an honourable man he had kept away from the house, and then on being reproached by his friend, had frankly told him the reason.