Belmanoir saw that the coachman had his blunderbuss ready and was only too eager to fire it, and he knew that the game was up. He turned his head towards the reluctant bullies who looked to him for orders.
"Throw down everything!" he advised.
Two more pistols and two daggers joined their comrades.
"A thousand thanks!" bowed my lord, running a quick eye over the men. "M. le Duc, I pray you be still. Now, you with the large nose-yes, mon ami, you-go pick up the pistol our defunct friend dropped."
The man indicated slouched over to the dead body and flung another pistol on to the heap.
My lord shook his head impatiently.
"Mais non. Have I not said that I am not entirely a fool? The unexploded pistol, please. You will place it here, doucement. Very good."
His eye travelled to the men on the box. The coachman touched his hat and cried: "I'm ready, sir!"
"It is very well. Be so good as to keep these gentlemen covered, but do not fire until I give the order. And now, M. le Duc, have I your parole that you will return swiftly from whence you came, leaving this lady unmolested, an I permit you to rise?"
Tracy moved his head impatiently.
"I have no choice."
"Monsieur, that is not an answer. Have I your parole?"
"Yes, curse you!"
"But certainly," said Jack politely. "Pray rise."
He rested his sword-point on the ground, and watched Tracy struggle to his feet.
For an instant the Duke stood staring at him, with face slightly out-thrust.
"I almost think I know you," he said softly, caressingly.
Jack's French accent became a shade more pronounced.
"It is possible. I at least have the misfortune to know monsieur by sight."
Tracy ignored the insult, and continued very, very silkily: "One thing is certain: I shall know you again-if I meet you!"
Even as the words left his mouth Jack saw the pistol in his hand and sprang quickly to one side, just in time to escape a shot that would have gone straight through his head. As it was, it caught him in his left shoulder "Do not fire!" he called sharply to the coachman, and bowed to his Grace. "As I was saying, m'sieu-do not let me detain you, I beg."
The Duke's green eyes flashed venom for a minute, and then the heavy lids descended over them again, and he returned the bow exaggeratedly.
"Au revoir, monsieur," he smiled, and bent to pick up his sword.
"It will-not be necessary for-m'sieu to-take his sword," said Jack. "I have a-desire to keep-it as a-souvenir. Yes."