But at least you are not hurt, my lord, I trust! That coachman saw you perfectly well, and I would be willing to wager all I possess in the world that he purposely tried to run over you--he deliberately turned his horses towards you--I am sure of it, for I saw the whole thing.

Did you observe whether there was a coat of arms on the panel?
As you are a nobleman yourself I suppose you must be familiar with the devices of the leading families in France." "Yes, I am of course," answered de Sigognac, "but I was too much occupied in getting out of the way of the swift rolling carriage to notice whether there was anything of that kind on it or not." "That's a pity," rejoined the tyrant regretfully, "for if we only knew that, we should have a clew that might lead to our discovering the truth about this most suspicious affair.

It is only too evident that some one is trying to put you out of the way, quibuscumque viis, as the pedant would say.

Although we unfortunately have no proof of it, I am very much inclined to think that this same carriage belongs to his lordship, the Duke of Vallombreuse, who wished to indulge himself in the pleasure of driving over the body of his enemy in his chariot, in true classical and imperial style." "What extraordinary idea have you got into your head now, Sir Herode ?" said de Sigognac, rather indignantly.

"Come, that would be too infamous and villainous a proceeding for any gentleman to be guilty of, and you must remember that after all the Duke of Vallombreuse is one, and that he belongs to a very high and noble family.