It needed but a word, as they knew, to draw them all after her.
Angelique, under the lead of De Pean, rode quickly towards the scene
of confusion, where men were gesticulating fiercely and uttering
loud, angry words such as usually precede the drawing of swords and
the rush of combatants.
To her surprise, she recognized Le Gardeur de Repentigny, very drunk
and wild with anger, in the act of leaping off his horse with oaths
of vengeance against some one whom she could not distinguish in the
throng.
Le Gardeur had just risen from the gaming-table, where he had been
playing all night. He was maddened with drink and excited by great
losses, which in his rage he called unfair.
Colonel St. Remy had rooked him at piquet, he said, and refused him
the chance of an honorable gamester to win back some part of his
losses. His antagonist had left the Palace like a sneak, and he was
riding round the city to find him, and horsewhip him if he would not
fight like a gentleman.
Le Gardeur was accompanied by the Sieur de Lantagnac, who, by
splendid dissipation, had won his whole confidence.
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