Chapter FiveWhen all his older guests had gone up to bed, the Duc found himself left with three of his friends, who were about the same age as himself.
“What shall we do?” he asked. “Do you feel like a game of bridge?”
“I have a better idea,” one man replied. “I would like to see a duel between you and Henri. It is something I always enjoy.”
The Duc laughed, but Henri, the Vicomte Soisson, said ruefully,
“That means that, as usual, I shall be defeated.”
“You can at least try,” his friend laughed, “but perhaps we should handicap César by blindfolding him.”
“You will do nothing of the sort,” the Duc came in. “Let’s go to the armoury and choose our foils.”
Laughing the four men went down the corridor.
They had almost reached the armoury, which was one of the most interesting rooms in
