A duel was another affair altogether.

"But, Sangdieu! what if he should slay me?
Have you thought of that ?" "Slay you ?" cried the Marquise, her eyes resting on his face with an expression as of wonder at such a question.

"You jest, Fortunio." "And he with the fever," put in Marius, sneering.
"Ah!" muttered Fortunio.

"He has the fever?
The fever is something.
But--but--accidents will happen." "Florimond was ever an indifferent swordsman," murmured Marius dreamily, as if communing with himself.
The captain wheeled upon him once more.
"Why, then, Monsieur Marius," said he, "since that is so and you are skilled--as skilled as am I, or more--and he has a fever, where is the need to hire me to the task ?" "Where ?" echoed Marius.

"What affair may that be of yours?
We ask you to name a price on which you will do this thing.