Book Description:
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. THE MEETING. As soon as Lafare, Fargy, and Ravanne saw their adversaries appear at the corner of the path, they walked to meet them. Arrived at ten paces from one another, they all took off their hats and bowed with that elegant politeness which was a characteristic of the aristocracy of the eighteenth century, and advanced some steps thus bareheaded with smiles on their lips, so that to the eyes of the passer by, ignorant of the cause of their encounter, they would have appeared like friends pleased at a chance meeting. ' Gentlemen,' said the Chevalier d'Harmental, to whom the first word by right belonged, ' I hope that neither you nor we have been followed; but it is getting late, and we might be disturbed here. I think it would be wise in us to find a more retired spot, where we shall be more at ease to transact the little business which we have in hand.' ' Gentlemen,' said Ravanne, ' I know one which will suit you, a hundred yards from here, a true cover.' ' Come, let us follow the child,' said the captain ; ' innocence leads to safety.' Ravanne turned round, and examined from head to foot our friend with the yellow ribbons. ' If you are not previously engaged, my strapping friend,' said he, in a bantering tone, ' I claim the preference.' 'Wait a moment, Ravanne,' interrupted Lafare; 'I have some explanations to give to Monsieur d'Harmental.' 'Monsieur Lafare,' replied the chevalier, 'your courage is so well known that the explanations you offer me are a proof of delicacy for which I thank you; but these explanations would only delay us uselessly, and we have no time to lose.' ' Bravo !' cried Ravanne, ' that is what I call speaking, Chevalier. As soon as we have cut each other's throats, I hope you will grant me your friendship. I have...
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