He would be a very queer individual who would not be affected by such
sincerity; and I told them so, and feelingly.
Then Moore showed me the attack and its two defences; and I practiced
them with him until I had them perfectly at command.
"What would be my chances against Lotzen?" I asked.
"You could kill him easily," said Moore. "Only, be careful of his play
in tierce; he is very strong in that."
"I don't know that I want to kill him," I said. "Yet, neither do I
care for him to kill me."
Both looked at me in quick interrogation. I motioned for them to sit
down.
"I've had a visit from the Duke, this afternoon," I said. And I told
them the entire interview.
Bernheim smiled sourly, when I had ended.
"You may have good use, sir, for that trick of fence," he said.
"Lotzen means mischief and that promptly."
"Evidently, his visit with His Majesty and the Princess was not to his
satisfaction," Moore remarked; "and, if Your Highness can ascertain
just what did occur there, I'll wager it will account for his conduct
to-day."
"And it would be just as well for Your Highness to wear a steel vest,"
said Bernheim; "it's very handy to turn a knife or a revolver bullet.
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