"Pierre, I am on the campaign against your namesake!" exclaimed he.
"An hour old. There has been a second duel between our Louis and Lecour. What a pity!"
"A pity? it is an infernal outrage! Another duel? Oh, my God!"
"And exclaimed among his companions that _Léry_----"
"That _Léry's_ family were skin-merchants."
"The pig and scoundrel! he shall sting for this. Why do you hold yourself so calm, Répentigny, when your family is insulted?"
"Frankly, because it is not altogether untrue."
"_We_ in trade? Our nobles skin-merchants? Is it thus that you will allow the King's permission to our order to engage in the fur trade to be stigmatised?"
"I have, Michel, seen the ways of many peoples. I have learned to look on the castes of our Canada with the same eyes as I look on those of India, the eyes of amusement, for I find in mankind everywhere the same tendencies and the same pretensions."
"But this beast of a Lecour is a liar and impostor."
"Then I will show you your duty. Open this envelope. You have only to fill Lecour's name into the warrant it contains, and he goes under lock and key in the Bastille."
"Tut, you madden me, Pierre. The worst felons are bold."
"But not generous. Lecour saved Louis's life from the blade of a madman at this duel. I know too well how that madman would have thrust. We are both mad--he and I, pursuer and pursued--I have brought it down on both. Poor Louis! have I pulled down the wrath of God also upon you? What is this, Michel, that you have brought? Consider what you ask me to do? To think that any man of our free colony would use a _lettre de cachet_, and against a brother Canadian! The thing is damnable," and he flung the parchment into the fire, where it curled up instantly as if sensitive to the flame, and cracked loudly with bursting blisters.
"Pierre, you are a cursed fool!" de Lotbinière retorted violently, and left, while Répentigny's face became clouded with an unspeakable torture of sadness.
The Chevalier de Villerai, who was next on de Lotbinière's list, was one of the quartermasters of Louis' company, and de Lotbinière, to see him, would have had to journey to Châlons, some fifty miles away. Being a relative, he instead wrote him. He received a reply, enclosing one from de Léry, who was lying ill of his wound. From the embittered sentences of his nephew, de Lotbinière learned of the insistence of his comrades on his sending Lecour the challenge, and of the result to de Léry's right arm. Louis vowed that he would more willingly seek him the next time, and that the fight would be at sight without any formalities. He told nothing of Lecour's act of mercy, of which he was apparently uninformed.