Le Gardeur,
when drunk, thought the world did not contain a finer fellow than
Lantagnac, whom he thoroughly despised when sober.
At a hint from De Pean, the Sieur de Lantagnac had clung to Le
Gardeur that morning like his shadow, had drunk with him again and
again, exciting his wrath against St. Remy; but apparently keeping
his own head clear enough for whatever mischief De Pean had put
into it.
They rode together to the market-place, hearing that St. Remy was at
the sermon. Their object, as Le Gardeur believed, was to put an
unpardonable insult upon St. Remy, by striking him with his whip and
forcing him to fight a duel with Le Gardeur or his friend. The
reckless De Lantagnac asserted loudly, he "did not care a straw
which!"
Le Gardeur and De Lantagnac rode furiously through the market,
heedless of what they encountered or whom they ran over, and were
followed by a yell of indignation from the people, who recognized
them as gentlemen of the Grand Company.
It chanced that at that moment a poor almsman of the Bourgeois
Philibert was humbly and quietly leaning on his crutches, listening
with bowing head and smiling lips to the kind inquiries of his
benefactor as he received his accustomed alms.
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