"You?"
"Yes, I."
"I dare you to do it!"
"Let us make a bet on it!"
"Oh, he will do it."
Just as Valentin, curious to learn the matter of the wager, came up to
pay closer attention to what they were saying, a tall, strong,
good-looking young fellow, who, however, possessed the impertinent
stare peculiar to people who have material force at their back, came
out of the billiard-room.
"I am deputed, sir," he said coolly addressing the Marquis, "to make
you aware of something which you do not seem to know; your face and
person generally are a source of annoyance to every one here, and to
me in particular. You have too much politeness not to sacrifice
yourself to the public good, and I beg that you will not show yourself
in the Club again."
"This sort of joke has been perpetrated before, sir, in garrison towns
at the time of the Empire; but nowadays it is exceedingly bad form,"
said Raphael drily.
"I am not joking," the young man answered; "and I repeat it: your
health will be considerably the worse for a stay here; the heat and
light, the air of the saloon, and the company are all bad for your
complaint."
"Where did you study medicine?" Raphael inquired.
"I took my bachelor's degree on Lepage's shooting-ground in Paris, and
was made a doctor at Cerizier's, the king of foils.
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