against him! A thousand crowns for a life! Mon Dieu," he added, with a whimsical glance at Bazan, "but you are dear, my friend!" Indeed, half a score of faces shone with cupidity, and twice as many bearded lips watered. A thousand crowns! A whole thousand crowns! But to the surprise of most—a few knew their man—Berthaud shook his head. "No," he said, "I will not play! I won his life, and I will have it."[Pg 68] [Pg 68] "Fifteen hundred crowns. I will set that! Fifteen——" "No!" "Two thousand, then! Two thousand, man! And I will throw in my chain. It is worth five hundred more." "No! No! No!" "Then, say what you will play for!" the great man roared, his face swelling with rage. "Thousand devils and all tonsured! I have a mind to win his life. What will you have against it?" "Against it?" "Ay!" "Yours!" said M. Berthaud, very softly. Bazan drew in his breath—sharply: otherwise the silence was so intense that the fall of the wood-ashes from the dying fire could be heard. The immense, the boundless audacity of the proposal made some smile and some start. But none smiled so grimly as M. Michel Berthaud the challenger and none started so little as M. de Crillon, the challenged. "A high bid!" he said, lifting his chin with something almost of humour; and then glancing round him, as a wolf might glance, if the sheep turned on him. "You ask much, M. Berthaud." "I will ask less then," replied Berthaud, with irony. "If I win, I will give you his life. He shall go free whether you win or lose, M. de Crillon." "That is much!" with answering irony.[Pg 69] [Pg 69] "Much or little——"
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