"The Marquis had men with him, and had the affair taken place in France ill might have come of it." "You shall give me a full account of it," said she, rightly thinking that there was still something to be explained.

Then she laughed softly.

"Yes, it was a lucky chance for us, his staying at La Rochette.
Florimond was born under an unlucky star, I think, and you under a lucky one, Fortunio." "I think so, too, as regards myself," he answered grimly, and he thought of the sword that had ploughed his cheek last night and pierced his sword-arm that morning, and he thanked such gods as in his godlessness he owned for the luck that had kept that sword from finding out his heart..