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〃Have you reflected； monsieur； that the law will hardly regard a
fencing…master who kills his opponent as an ordinary combatant；
particularly if it can be shown that the fencing…master himself
provoked the attack？〃
〃So！ Name of a name！〃 M。 Danton blew out his cheeks and delivered
himself with withering scorn。 〃It comes to this； then： you are
afraid！〃
〃You may think so if you choose … that I am afraid to do slyly and
treacherously that which a thrasonical patriot like yourself is
afraid of doing frankly and openly。 I have other reasons。 But that
one should suffice you。〃
Danton gasped。 Then he swore more amazingly and variedly than ever。
〃By ！ you are right；〃 he admitted； to Andre…Louis' amazement。
〃You are right； and I am wrong。 I am as bad a patriot as you are；
and I am a coward as well。〃 And he invoked the whole Pantheon to
witness his self…denunciation。 〃Only； you see； I count for
something： and if they take me and hang me； why； there it is！
Monsieur； we must find some other way。 Forgive the intrusion。
Adieu！〃 He held out his enormous hand。。
Le Chapelier stood hesitating； crestfallen。
〃You understand； Andre？ I am sorry that。。。 〃
〃Say no more； please。 Come and see me soon again。 I would press
you to remain； but it is striking nine； and the first of my pupils
is about to arrive。〃
〃Nor would I permit it；〃。 said Danton。 〃Between us we must resolve
the riddle of how to extinguish M。 de La Tour d'Azyr and his friends。〃
〃Who？〃
Sharp as a pistol…shot came that question； as Danton was turning
away。 The tone of it brought him up short。 He turned again； Le
Chapelier with him。
〃I said M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。〃
〃What has he to do with the proposal you were making me？〃
〃He？ Why； he is the phlebotomist in chief。〃
And Le Chapelier added。 〃It is he who killed Lagron。〃
〃Not a friend of yours； is he？〃 wondered Danton。
〃And it is La Tour d'Azyr you desire me to kill？〃 asked Andre…Louis
very slowly； after the manner of one whose thoughts are meanwhile
pondering the subject。
〃That's it；〃 said Danton。 〃And not a job for a prentice hand； I
can assure you。
〃Ah； but this alters things；〃 said Andre…Louis； thinking aloud。
〃It offers a great temptation。〃
〃Why； then。。。 ？〃 The Colossus took a step towards him again。
〃Wait！〃 He put up his hand。 Then with chin sunk on his breast；
he paced away to the window； musing。
Le Chapelier and Danton exchanged glances； then watched him；
waiting； what time he considered。
At first he almost wondered why he should not of his own accord
have decided upon some such course as this to settle that
long…standing account of M。 de La Tour d'Azyr。 What was the use
of this great skill in fence that he had come to acquire； unless
he could turn it to account to avenge Vilmorin； and to make Aline
safe from the lure of her own ambition？ It would be an easy thing
to seek out La Tour d'Azyr； put a mortal affront upon him； and
thus bring him to the point。 To…day this would be murder； murder
as treacherous as that which La Tour d'Azyr had done upon Philippe
de Vilmorin； for to…day the old positions were reversed； and it
was Andre…Louis who might go to such an assignation without a doubt
of the issue。 It was a moral obstacle of which he made short work。
But there remained the legal obstacle he had expounded to Danton。
There was still a law in France； the same law which he had found it
impossible to move against La Tour d'Azyr； but which would move
briskly enough against himself in like case。 And then； suddenly；
as if by inspiration； he saw the way … a way which if adopted would
probably bring La Tour d'Azyr to a poetic justice； bring him；
insolent； confident； to thrust himself upon Andre…Louis' sword；
with all the odium of provocation on his own side。
He turned to them again； and they saw that he was very pale； that
his great dark eyes glowed oddly。
〃There will probably be some difficulty in finding a suppleant for
this poor Lagron；〃 he said。 〃Our fellow…countrymen will be none so
eager to offer themselves to the swords of Privilege。
〃True enough；〃 said Le Chapelier gloomily； and then； as if suddenly
leaping to the thing in Andre…Louis' mind： 〃Andre！〃 he cried。
〃Would you。。。 〃
〃It is what I was considering。 It would give me a legitimate place
in the Assembly。 If your Tour d'Azyrs choose to seek me out then；
why； their blood be upon their own heads。 I shall certainly do
nothing to discourage them。〃 He smiled curiously。 〃I am just a
rascal who tries to be honest … Scaramouche always； in fact； a
creature of sophistries。 Do you think that Ancenis would have me
for its representative？〃
〃Will it have Omnes Omnibus for its representative？〃 Le Chapelier
was laughing； his countenance eager。 〃Ancenis will be convulsed
with pride。 It is not Rennes or Nantes； as it might have been had
you wished it。 But it gives you a voice for Brittany。〃
〃I should have to go to Ancenis。。。 〃
〃No need at all。 A letter from me to the Municipality； and the
Municipality will confirm you at once。 No need to move from here。
In a fortnight at most the thing can be accomplished。 It is
settled； then？〃
Andre…Louis considered yet a moment。 There was his academy。 But
he could make arrangements with Le Duc and Galoche to carry it on
for him whilst himself directing and advising。 Le Duc； after all；
was become a thoroughly efficient master； and he was a trustworthy
fellow。 At need a third assistant could be engaged。
〃Be it so；〃 he said at last。
Le Chapelier clasped hands with him and became congratulatorily
voluble； until interrupted by the red…coated giant at the door。
〃What exactly does it mean to our business； anyway？〃 he asked。
〃Does it mean that when you are a representative you will not
scruple to skewer M。 le Marquis？〃
〃If M。 le Marquis should offer himself to be skewered； as he no
doubt will。〃
〃I perceive the distinction；〃 said M。 Danton； and sneered。 〃You've
an ingenious mind。〃 He turned to Le Chapelier。 〃What did you say
he was to begin with … a lawyer； wasn't it？〃
〃Yes； I was a lawyer； and afterwards a mountebank。〃
〃And this is the result！〃
〃As you say。 And do you know that we are after all not so
dissimilar； you and I？〃
〃What？〃
〃Once like you I went about inciting other people to go and kill
the man I wanted dead。 You'll say I was a coward； of course。〃
Le Chapelier prepared to slip between them as the clouds gathered
on the giant's brow。 Then these were dispelled again； and the
great laugh vibrated through the long room。
〃You've touched me for the second time； and in the same place。 Oh；
you can fence； my lad。 We should be friends。 Rue des Cordeliers
is my address。 Any … scoundrel will tell you where Danton lodges。
Desmoulins lives underneath。 Come and visit us one evening。 There's
always a bottle for a friend。〃
CHAPTER VII
THE SPADASSINICIDES
After an absence of rather more than a week； M。 le Marquis de La
Tour d'Azyr was back in his place on the Cote Droit of the National
Assembly。 Properly speaking； we should already at this date allude
to him as the ci…devant Ma