I admit the magnitude of my fault, but I am at your service, and am prepared to give you the satisfaction that you will doubtless demand." "From your words," answered Norbert slowly, "I presume that you allude to a duel; that is to say, that having effected my dishonor to-night, you purpose to kill me to-morrow morning.

In the game that you have been playing a man stakes his life, and you, I think, have lost." Croisenois bowed.

"I am a dead man," thought he as he glanced towards the Duchess, "and not for your sake, but on account of quite another woman." The sound of his own voice excited Norbert, and he went on more rapidly: "What need have I to risk my life in a duel?
I come to my own home, I find you with my wife, I blow out your brains, and the law will exonerate me." As he said these last words, he drew a revolver from his pocket and levelled it at George.

The moment was an intensely exciting one, but Croisenois did not show any sign of emotion, Norbert did not press the trigger, and the suspense became more than could be borne.
"Fire!" cried George, "fire!" "No," returned Norbert coldly; "on reflection I have come to the conclusion that your dead body would be a source of extreme inconvenience to me." "You try my forbearance too far.

What are your intentions ?" "I mean to kill you," answered Norbert in such a voice of concentrated ferocity that George shuddered in spite of all his courage, "but it shall not be with a pistol shot.