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your old life； and forget Madame Jules。〃
〃No； no；〃 said Auguste； 〃I will never yield to Gratien Bourignard。 I
will have him bound hand and foot； and Madame Jules also。〃
That evening the Baron Auguste de Maulincour； recently promoted to
higher rank in the company of the Body…Guard of the king； went to a
ball given by Madame la Duchesse de Berry at the Elysee…Bourbon。
There； certainly； no danger could lurk for him； and yet； before he
left the palace； he had an affair of honor on his hands；an affair it
was impossible to settle except by a duel。
His adversary； the Marquis de Ronquerolles； considered that he had
strong reasons to complain of Monsieur de Maulincour； who had given
some ground for it during his former intimacy with Monsieur de
Ronquerolles' sister； the Comtesse de Serizy。 That lady； the one who
detested German sentimentality； was all the more exacting in the
matter of prudery。 By one of those inexplicable fatalities； Auguste
now uttered a harmless jest which Madame de Serizy took amiss； and her
brother resented it。 The discussion took place in the corner of a
room； in a low voice。 In good society； adversaries never raise their
voices。 The next day the faubourg Saint…Germain and the Chateau talked
over the affair。 Madame de Serizy was warmly defended； and all the
blame was laid on Maulincour。 August personages interfered。 Seconds of
the highest distinction were imposed on Messieurs de Maulincour and de
Ronquerolles and every precaution was taken on the ground that no one
should be killed。
When Auguste found himself face to face with his antagonist； a man of
pleasure； to whom no one could possibly deny sentiments of the highest
honor； he felt it was impossible to believe him the instrument of
Ferragus； chief of the Devorants； and yet he was compelled； as it
were； by an inexplicable presentiment； to question the marquis。
〃Messieurs；〃 he said to the seconds； 〃I certainly do not refuse to
meet the fire of Monsieur de Ronquerolles； but before doing so； I here
declare that I was to blame； and I offer him whatever excuses he may
desire； and publicly if he wishes it； because when the matter concerns
a woman； nothing； I think； can degrade a man of honor。 I therefore
appeal to his generosity and good sense； is there not something rather
silly in fighting without a cause？〃
Monsieur de Ronquerolles would not allow of this way of ending the
affair； and then the baron； his suspicions revived； walked up to him。
〃Well； then！ Monsieur le marquis；〃 he said； 〃pledge me； in presence of
these gentlemen； your word as a gentleman that you have no other
reason for vengeance than that you have chosen to put forward。〃
〃Monsieur； that is a question you have no right to ask。〃
So saying； Monsieur de Ronquerolles took his place。 It was agreed； in
advance； that the adversaries were to be satisfied with one exchange
of shots。 Monsieur de Ronquerolles； in spite of the great distance
determined by the seconds； which seemed to make the death of either
party problematical； if not impossible； brought down the baron。 The
ball went through the latter's body just below the heart； but
fortunately without doing vital injury。
〃You aimed too well； monsieur；〃 said the baron； 〃to be avenging only a
paltry quarrel。〃
And he fainted。 Monsieur de Ronquerolles； who believed him to be a
dead man； smiled sardonically as he heard those words。
After a fortnight； during which time the dowager and the vidame gave
him those cares of old age the secret of which is in the hands of long
experience only； the baron began to return to life。 But one morning
his grandmother dealt him a crushing blow； by revealing anxieties to
which； in her last days； she was now subjected。 She showed him a
letter signed F； in which the history of her grandson's secret
espionage was recounted step by step。 The letter accused Monsieur de
Maulincour of actions that were unworthy of a man of honor。 He had； it
said； placed an old woman at the stand of hackney…coaches in the rue
de Menars； an old spy； who pretended to sell water from her cask to
the coachmen； but who was really there to watch the actions of Madame
Jules Desmarets。 He had spied upon the daily life of a most
inoffensive man； in order to detect his secrets；secrets on which
depended the lives of three persons。 He had brought upon himself a
relentless struggle； in which； although he had escaped with life three
times； he must inevitably succumb； because his death had been sworn
and would be compassed if all human means were employed upon it。
Monsieur de Maulincour could no longer escape his fate by even
promising to respect the mysterious life of these three persons；
because it was impossible to believe the word of a gentleman who had
fallen to the level of a police…spy； and for what reason？ Merely to
trouble the respectable life of an innocent woman and a harmless old
man。
The letter itself was nothing to Auguste in comparison to the tender
reproaches of his grandmother。 To lack respect to a woman！ to spy upon
her actions without a right to do so！ Ought a man ever to spy upon a
woman whom he loved？in short； she poured out a torrent of those
excellent reasons which prove nothing； and they put the young baron；
for the first time in his life； into one of those great human furies
in which are born； and from which issue the most vital actions of a
man's life。
〃Since it is war to the knife；〃 he said in conclusion； 〃I shall kill
my enemy by any means that I can lay hold of。〃
The vidame went immediately； at Auguste's request； to the chief of the
private police of Paris； and without bringing Madame Jules' name or
person into the narrative； although they were really the gist of it；
he made the official aware of the fears of the family of Maulincour
about this mysterious person who was bold enough to swear the death of
an officer of the Guards； in defiance of the law and the police。 The
chief pushed up his green spectacles in amazement； blew his nose
several times； and offered snuff to the vidame； who； to save his
dignity； pretended not to use tobacco； although his own nose was
discolored with it。 Then the chief took notes and promised； Vidocq and
his spies aiding； to send in a report within a few days to the
Maulincour family； assuring them meantime that there were no secrets
for the police of Paris。
A few days after this the police official called to see the vidame at
the Hotel de Maulincour； where he found the young baron quite
recovered from his last wound。 He gave them in bureaucratic style his
thanks for the indications they had afforded him； and told them that
Bourignard was a convict； condemned to twenty years' hard labor； who
had miraculously escaped from a gang which was being transported from
Bicetre to Toulon。 For thirteen years the police had been endeavoring
to recapture him； knowing that he had boldly returned to Paris； but so
far this convict had escaped the most active search； although he was
known to be mixed up in many nefarious deeds。 However； the man； whose
life was full of very curious incidents； would certainly be captured
now in one or other of his several domiciles and delivered up to
justice。 The bureaucrat ended his report by saying to Monsieur de
Maulincour that if he attached enough importance to the matter to wish
to witness the capture of Bourignard； he might come the next day at
eight in the morning to a house in the rue Sainte…Foi； of which he
gave him the number。 Monsieur de Maulincour excused himself from going
personally in search of certainty；trusting； with the sacred respect
inspired by the police of Paris； in the capability of the authorities。
Three days later； hearing nothing； and seeing nothing in the
newspapers about the projected arrest； which was certainly of enough
importance to have furnished an article； Monsieur de Maulincour was
beginning to feel anxieties which were presently allayed by the
following letter：
Monsieur le Baron；I have the honor to announce to you that you
need have no further uneasiness touching the affair in question。
The man named Gratien Bourignard； otherwise called Ferragus； died
yesterday； at his lodgings； rue Joquelet No。 7。 The suspicions we
naturally conceived as to the identity of the dead body have been
completely set at rest by the facts。 The physician of the
Prefecture of police was despatched by us to assist the physician
of the arrondissement； and the chief of the detective police made
all the necessary verifications to obtain absolute certainty。
Moreover； the character of the persons who signed the certificate
of death； and the affidavits of those who took care of the said
Bourignard in his last illness； among others that of the worthy
vicar of the church of the Bonne…Nouvelle （to whom he made his
last confession； for he died a Christian）； do not permit us to
entertain any sort of doubt。
Accept； Monsieur le baron； etc。； etc。
Monsieur de Maulincour； the dowager； and the vidame breathed again
with joy unspeakable。 The good old woman kissed her grandson leaving a
tear upon his cheek； and went away to thank God in prayer。 The dear
soul； who was making a novena for Auguste's safety； b