Your brother had occasion to be opposed to certain projects that were being formed in Paris by persons high in power around a beardless boy.

Himself of too small importance to dare wage war against those powerful ones who would have crushed him, your brother sought to gain his ends by sending a challenge to this boy.

The lad was high-spirited and consented to meet M.de Canaples, by whom he would assuredly have been murdered--'t is the only word, Mademoiselle--had I not intervened as I did." She was silent for a moment.

Then--"I believe you, Monsieur," she said simply.

"You fought, then, to shield another--but why ?" "For three reasons, Mademoiselle.