The circumstances of his education, and the goal that for some years now he had kept in view, had robbed him of much of that spirited brutality that is the birthright of the male.

He had grown timid and gentle as a woman.

Aware of it, he feared that once the heat of his passion was spent he might betray a dishonouring weakness, in the ordeal.
M.le Marquis, on his side, was no less eager for an immediate settlement; and since they had M.de Chabrillane to act for his cousin, and Andre-Louis to serve as witness for M.de Vilmorin, there was nothing to delay them.
And so, within a few minutes, all arrangements were concluded, and you behold that sinisterly intentioned little group of four assembled in the afternoon sunshine on the bowling-green behind the inn.

They were entirely private, screened more or less from the windows of the house by a ramage of trees, which, if leafless now, was at least dense enough to provide an effective lattice.
There were no formalities over measurements of blades or selection of ground.

M.le Marquis removed his sword-belt and scabbard, but declined--not considering it worth while for the sake of so negligible an opponent--to divest himself either of his shoes or his coat.