le Vidame," I said indignantly--Catherine was white and voiceless--"M.

le Vidame--" but there I stopped and faltered stammering.

For behind him I could see Croisette; and Croisette gave me no sign of encouragement or support.
So we stood face to face for a moment; the boy and the man of the world, the stripling and the ROUE.

Then the Vidame bowed to me in quite a new fashion.

"M.