LOUISE DE LA VALLIERB. 87 "Why not?" And both of them, on their way to the stables, passed be- neath madame's windows, which were faintly lighted; a shadow could be seen behind the lace curtains. "There is a woman," said De Wardes, smiling, "who does not suspect that we are going to fight — to die, perhaps, on her account.'* CHAPTER XIII. THE COMBAT. De Wardes and De Guiche selected their horses, and then saddled them with their own hands, with holster sad- dles. De Guiche, having two pairs of pistols, went to hig apartments to get them; and after having loaded them, gave the choice to De Wardes, who selected the pair he had made use of twenty times before — the same, indeed, with which De Guiche had seen him kill swallows flyisg. "You will not be surprised," he said, "if I take every pre- caution. You know the weapons well, and, consequently, I am only making the chances equal." "Your remark was quite useless," replied De Guiche,
- 'and you have done no more than you are entitled to do."
"Now," said De Wardes, "I beg you to have the good- ness to help me to mount; for I still experience a little difficulty in doing so." "In that case, we had better settle the matter on foot." "No; once in the saddle, I shall be all right." "Very good, then; so we will not speak of it again,'* said De Guiche, as he assisted De AVardes to mount his horse. "And now," continued the young man, "in our eagerness to kill each other, we have neglected one circumstance." "What is that?" "That it is quite dark, and we shall almost be obliged to grope about in order to kill each other.'* "Oh!" said De Guiche, "you are as anxious as I am that everything should be done in proper order.** "Yes; but I do not wish people to say that you have as- sassinated me, any more than, supposing I were to kill you, I should myself like to be accused of such a crime.*' "Did any one make a similar remark about your duel with the Duke of Buckingham?" said De Guiche; **it took place precisely under the same conditions as ours.'* "Very true; but there was still light enough to see by;
