“Lagron, the deputy from Ancenis in the Loire, said something that we did not hear in answer.  As he was leaving the Manege one of these bullies grossly insulted him.  Lagron no more than used his elbow to push past when the fellow cried out that he had been struck, and issued his challenge.  They fought this morning early in the Champs Elysees, and Lagron was killed, run through the stomach deliberately by a man who fought like a fencing-master, and poor Lagron did not even own a sword.  He had to borrow one to go to the assignation.”

Andre-Louis — his mind ever on Vilmorin, whose case was here repeated, even to the details — was swept by a gust of passion.  He clenched his hands, and his jaws set.  Danton’s little eyes observed him keenly.

“Well?  And what do you think of that?  Noblesse oblige, eh?  The thing is we must oblige them too, these —­s.  We must pay them back in the same coin; meet them with the same weapons.  Abolish them; tumble these assassinateurs into the abyss of nothingness by the same means.”

“But how?”

“How?  Name of God! haven’t I said it?”

“That is where we require your help,” Le Chapelier put in.  “There must be men of patriotic feeling among the more advanced of your pupils.  M. Danton’s idea is that a little band of these — say a half-dozen, with yourself at their head — might read these bullies a sharp lesson.”

Andre-Louis frowned.

“And how, precisely, had M. Danton thought that this might be done?”

M. Danton spoke for himself, vehemently.

“Why, thus:  We post you in the Manege, at the hour when the Assembly is rising.  We point out the six leading phlebotomists, and let you loose to insult them before they have time to insult any of the representatives.  Then to-morrow morning, six —­ phlebotomists themselves phlebotomized secundum artem.  That will give the others something to think about.  It will give them a great deal to think about, by —!  If necessary the dose may be repeated to ensure a cure.  If you kill the —­s, so much the better.”

He paused, his sallow face flushed with the enthusiasm of his idea.  Andre-Louis stared at him inscrutably.

“Well, what do you say to that?”

“That it is most ingenious.”  And Andre-Louis turned aside to look out of the window.

“And is that all you think of it?”

“I will not tell you what else I think of it because you probably would not understand.  For you, M. Danton, there is at least this excuse that you did not know me.  But you, Isaac — to bring this gentleman here with such a proposal!”

Le Chapelier was overwhelmed in confusion.  “I confess I hesitated,” he apologized.  “But M. Danton would not take my word for it that the proposal might not be to your taste.”

“I would not!” Danton broke in, bellowing.  He swung upon Le Chapelier, brandishing his great arms.  “You told me monsieur was a patriot.  Patriotism knows no scruples.  You call this mincing dancing-master a patriot?”