When at last, however, we sat over our coffee and liqueurs, Monsieur Decresson, after a moment's pause, turned his melancholy gray eyes on me.
"Capitaine Rotherby," he said, "my friend and I represent a little group of people who have some interest in the place where we met last night.

We are deputed to ask you to explain, if you can, your conduct,--your attack, which it seemed to us was absolutely unprovoked, upon an habitue of the place and an associate of our own." "There is only one explanation which I can make," I answered slowly.
"I went there, as Louis will tell you, absolutely a stranger, and absolutely by chance.

Chance decreed that I should meet face to face the one man in the world against whom I bear a grudge, the one man whom I had sworn to punish whenever and wherever I might meet him." Monsieur Decresson bowed.
"There are situations," he admitted, "which can only be dealt with in that manner.

Do not think me personal or inquisitive, I beg of you, but--I ask in your own interests--what had you against this man Tapilow ?" "Monsieur Decresson," I said, "I will answer you frankly.

The man whom I punished last night, I punished because I have proved him to be guilty of conduct unbecoming to a gentleman.