And they said good-bye to one another in the oddest way." "But surely they shook hands ?" said Sonia.
"Not a bit of it.

They bowed as if each of them had swallowed a poker." "Why--then--then--" said Sonia, starting up with a frightened air; and her voice stuck in her throat.
"Then what ?" said Germaine, a little startled by her panic-stricken face.
"The duel! Monsieur de Relzieres' duel!" cried Sonia.
"What?
You don't think it was with Jacques ?" "I don't know--but this quarrel--the Duke's manner this morning--the Du Buits' drive--" said Sonia.
"Of course--of course! It's quite possible--in fact it's certain!" cried Germaine.
"It's horrible!" gasped Sonia.

"Consider--just consider! Suppose something happened to him.

Suppose the Duke--" "It's me the Duke's fighting about!" cried Germaine proudly, with a little skipping jump of triumphant joy.
Sonia stared through her without seeing her.

Her face was a dead white--fear had chilled the lustre from her skin; her breath panted through her parted lips; and her dilated eyes seemed to look on some dreadful picture.
Germaine pirouetted about the hall at the very height of triumph.