"I will follow," he answered, his eyes fixed on Herrick. "Go. No one will stop you. You are expected at the castle."
"Obedience and trust," said Herrick quietly.
For a moment Christine hesitated, then she went out quickly with Lucille, closing the door.
"Now, Count, I am at your service," said Herrick. "What is our quarrel?"
"It lies too deep for words," said Felix, attacking his adversary hotly. "Say it concerns a woman's honor, if you will."
"Say rather that it springs from the Duke Maurice, whom you have buried in St. Etienne to-day," Herrick answered sternly.
Had he sought to put his adversary off his guard, he could have chosen no better way than the sudden utterance of these words. Mad with rage, and with the consciousness that it was in this man's power to betray him, he rushed upon Herrick wildly, bent on silencing so dangerous a foe at once and forever. The next instant his sword clattered to the floor, and a moment later Herrick had tossed it through the window into the garden.
"This is not to be a fight to the death, Count," he said. "Yours is a small hurt. I will leave you to bind it up."
"Curse you!"
"Curses fall lightly on honest men," Herrick answered, retreating backward to the door, his sword still in his hand. "You would not have come alone had you expected to find me here; therefore I am fortunate, and in your present humor, mademoiselle is fortunate too in not having your escort back to the castle. There you will hardly dare to insult her."