master—­no man living has a knowledge of it but myself—­there is no one else left capable of executing it to perfection, and upon that depends its success.  Well, my lord duke, Girolamo himself could not have done it better than I did to-night.  I was thunderstruck when my opponent did not go down before it as if he had been shot.  I expected to see him lying dead at my feet.  But not at all, by Jove!  That devil of a Captain Fracasse parried my blow with dazzling swiftness, and with such force that my blade was broken short off, and I left completely at his mercy, with nothing but the stump in my hand.  See here, my lord duke! just look what he did to my precious, priceless Sahagun.”  And Jacquemin Lampourde, with a piteous air, drew out and exhibited the sorry remains of his trusty sword—­almost weeping over it—­and calling the duke’s attention to the perfectly straight and even break.

“Your highness can see that it was a prodigious blow that snapped this steel like a pipe-stem, and it was done with such ease and precision.  To despatch Captain Fracasse by fair means is beyond my skill, my lord duke, and I would scorn to resort to treachery.  Like all truly brave men, he is generous.  I was left entirely defenceless, and he could have spitted me like an ortolan just by extending his arm, but he refrained; he let me go unscathed.  A miraculous display of delicacy, as well as chivalrous generosity, from a gentleman assaulted in the gloaming on the Pont-Neuf.  I owe my life to him, and moreover, such a debt of gratitude as I shall never be able to repay.  I cannot undertake anything more against him, my lord duke; henceforth he is sacred to me.  Besides, it would be a pity to destroy such a swordsman—­good ones are rare in these degenerate days, and growing more so every year.  I don’t believe he has his equal on earth.  Most men handle a sword as if it were a broomstick nowadays, and then expect to be praised and applauded, the clumsy, stupid fools!  Now, I have given my reasons for coming to inform your highness that I must resign the commission I had accepted.  As for the money there, I might perhaps have been justified in keeping it, to indemnify me for the great risk and peril I incurred, but such a questionable proceeding would be repugnant to my tender conscience and my honest pride, as your highness can understand.”

“In the name of all the devils in the infernal regions, take back your money!” cried Vallombreuse impetuously, “or I will have you pitched out of the window yonder, you and your money both.  I never heard of such a scrupulous scoundrel in my life.  You, Merindol, and your cursed crew, have not a spark of honour or honesty among you all; far enough from it.”  Then perceiving that Lampourde hesitated about picking up the purse, he added, “Take it, I tell you!  I give it to you to drink my health with.”

“In that, my lord duke, you shall be religiously obeyed,” Lampourde replied joyfully; “however, I do not suppose that your highness will object to my dedicating part of it to lansquenet.”  And he stretched out his long arm, seized the purse, and with one dexterous movement, like a juggler, chucked it jingling into the depths of his pocket.