.

as he himself had often looked.

Ah well, love is a thing over which neither man nor woman has control; and perhaps his half-defined antagonism was based upon jealousy.
There was some satisfaction to know that the vicomte's head was in no less danger than his own.

He brushed aside these thoughts, and centered his interest in the game which was about to begin.
The vicomte drew his sword, and accepted that of Lieutenant de Vandreuil of the fort, while the Chevalier joined to his own the rapier of his poet-friend.

Both the vicomte and the Chevalier held enviable reputations as fancy swordsmen.