The swords had scarcely clashed when the count’s weapon was wrenched from his hand and sent flying for a distance of twenty paces.

“That is enough,” Colonel de Serres said, stepping forward; “you have done what you thought to be your duty, Monsieur le Comte, but it needs very different blades from those of yourself and your companions to stand before Colonel Campbell.  He had you at his mercy, and had a right to take your life if he chose; but as he refrained from doing that when you had your sword in your hand, he certainly will not do so now.  Messieurs, we wish you good morning.”

“And you may mention,” Hector added, “to this person of high rank, that I shall be happy to accommodate as many of the gentlemen of his following as choose to take the matter up.”

“He will send no more to you, Campbell,” Chavigny said as they moved off, leaving the count, whose valet now ran up, to obtain a vehicle and carry his dead and wounded comrades away.

“No, I fancy not; he will try other means now.  The war has only begun.  Men like Lei, Brillet, and the Campions are not the sort of men who would act as bravos, even for the Duke of Beaufort, and I do not think that he would even venture to propose it to them.  It will be meaner instruments that he will employ next time.  However, I shall of course go straight to the cardinal and acquaint him with what has happened.  I doubt not but that he will lay the matter before the queen, and then that Beaufort will hear of it; but, passionate and revengeful as he is, I think that he will not be turned from his purpose, even if he knows that he may be forced to retire to his estates, or even leave the country till the matter blows over.”

CHAPTER XXI:  THE DUKE’S REVENGE

The cardinal listened gravely to Hector’s account of the duel, and of the circumstances that gave rise to it.

“I will go at once to the Louvre and appeal to her majesty,” he said; “you know how warmly she spoke to you on the day when you saved my life.  Still, I fear that the sternest reproof, or even an order to retire to his estates, would not turn him from his purpose.”

“I am sure of it, your eminence; still, as I have proved victor in the first battle in the campaign I will bide a second.”

“Mind that you do not get stabbed in the back, colonel.”

“I will beware of that, sir; whenever I walk the streets in future Paolo shall keep a pace behind me, and I warrant that he will protect me from any attempt of that sort.”

“At any rate remain here until I return from the Louvre.”

In an hour Mazarin returned.  “The duke has been beforehand with us,” he said.  “When I told the queen of what had happened, and why this quarrel had been fastened upon you, she sent at once for the duke, and drew out an order, which I signed, for him to retire at once to his estates; but the royal messenger returned with the news that he had half an hour before ridden away to visit his father at Vendome.  A courier will start at once with the order, but I doubt whether he will be found there.  It is probable that he has gone to one of his own estates, and it may be some time before we find out where he is.  However, it is something that he has gone.”