It is my only possession, and I will leave it to you if you survive it; otherwise I will take my secret to the grave with me.

I have never yet found any one capable of executing it, unless indeed it be yourself--admirable, incomparable swordsman that you are! It is a joy to meet such an one.
But suppose we suspend hostilities a moment to take breath." So saying Jacquemin Lampourde lowered the point of his sword, and de Sigognac did the same.

They stood eyeing each other for a few moments with mutual admiration and curiosity, and then resumed the contest more fiercely than ever--each man doing his best, as he had need to do, and enjoying it.

After a few passes, de Sigognac became aware that his adversary was preparing to give the decisive blow, and held himself on his guard against a surprise; when it came, delivered with terrible force, he parried it so successfully that Lampourde's sword was broken short off in the encounter with his own trusty weapon, leaving only the hilt and a few inches of the blade in his hand.
"If you have not got the rest of my sword in your body," cried Lampourde, excitedly, "you are a great man!--a hero!--a god!" "No," de Sigognac replied calmly, "it did not touch me; and now, if I chose, I could pin you to the wall like a bat; but that would be repugnant to me, though you did waylay me to take my life, and besides, you have really amused me with your droll sayings.
"Baron," said Jacquemin Lampourde, calmly, "permit me, I humbly pray you, to be henceforth, so long as I live, your devoted admirer, your slave, your dog! I was to be paid for killing you--I even received a portion of the money in advance, which I have spent.

But never mind that; I will pay it back, every penny of it, though I must rob some one else to do it." With these words he picked up de Sigognac's cloak, and having put it carefully, even reverentially, over his shoulders, made him a profound obeisance, and departed.
Thus the efforts of the Duke of Vallombreuse, to advance his suit and to get rid of his rival, had once more failed ignominiously..