"Monsieur de Leviston, of Montreal, prompted by I know not whom."
"De Leviston. I shall remember that name."
"There was a duel fought."
"A duel? Who were the participants?"
"The Vicomte d'Halluys against the Comte d'Hérouville, and Monsieur de
Saumaise against De Leviston. D'Hérouville and De Leviston are both in
hospital."
"D'Hérouville? What had he to do with the affair?"
"He laughed," said the governor; "he laughed when De Leviston accused
your son of not knowing who his mother was."
"Thank you, Monsieur. I see that you are in great puzzle. Let me
solve the puzzle for you. I have always been a man of quick and
violent temper, and sometimes this temper has been that of the fool.
The wisest of us make mistakes. I have made a grievous one. In a
moment of anger . . ." He ceased, taking up the stem of the broken
glass and twirling it. "In a moment of anger, then, I did Monsieur le
Comte a most grievous wrong, a wrong for which I can never fully atone.
We have never been on friendly terms since his refusal to wed a young
woman of my choice, Mademoiselle de Montbazon. I had never seen this
daughter, nor had my son. Paris life, Monsieur, as doubtless you know,
is ruinous to youth. Monsieur le Comte was much in wine; he gambled
recklessly. It was my desire to change his course, but I went at it
either too late or bunglingly. In February he was exiled from court in
disgrace. I have never ascertained the character of this disgrace.
One night in March we had an exchange of opinions. My faith, your
Excellency, but that boy has a terrible tongue. There was not a place
in my armor that he did not pierce. I shall not repeat to you the
subject of our conversation. Suffice it to say that he roused the
devil and the fool in me, and I told him that he had no right to his
name. I am here to correct that wrong as much as lies within my power.
He did not give me an opportunity at home. It is not sentiment; it is
my sense of justice that brings me here. And I truly admire the lad's
spirit. To plunge into the wilderness without calculation; ah, well,
it is only the fool who stops to weigh the hazards of fortune. The boy
is my son, lawfully; and I want him to know it. I am growing old, and
this voyage has written a shorter term for me."
"Monsieur," said De Lauson, "what you tell me makes me truly happy.
But I am afraid that you have destroyed the Chevalier's trust in
humanity. If you ask me to judge you, I shall be severe. You have
committed a terrible sin, unnatural and brutal, unheard of till now by
me."