"Here, I have brought mine with me," replied Albert.
Beauchamp took the paper, and read the article to which Albert pointed, in an under-tone.
"You see it is a serious annoyance," said Morcerf, when Beauchamp had finished the perusal of the paragraph.
"Is the officer alluded to a relation of yours, then?" demanded the journalist.
"Yes," said Albert, blushing.
"Well, what do you wish me to do for you?" said Beauchamp, mildly.
"My dear Beauchamp, I wish you to contradict this statement." Beauchamp looked at Albert with a benevolent expression.
"Come," said he, "this matter will want a good deal of talking over; a retraction is always a serious thing, you know. Sit down and I will read it again."
Albert resumed his seat, and Beauchamp read, with more attention than at first, the lines denounced by his friend.
"Well," said Albert, in a determined tone, "you see that your paper has insulted a member of my family, and I insist on a retractation."
"You insist?"
"Yes, I insist."
"Permit me to remind you that you are not very diplomatic, my dear viscount."
"Nor do I wish to be," replied the young man rising. "I repeat that I am determined to have the announcement of yesterday contradicted. You have known me long enough," continued Albert, biting his lips convulsively, for he saw that Beauchamp's anger was beginning to rise,―"you have been my friend, and therefore sufficiently intimate with me to be aware that I am likely to maintain my resolution on this point."
"If I have been your friend, Morcerf, your present manner of speaking would almost lead me to forget that I ever bore that title. But wait a moment, do not let us get angry, or at least not yet. You are irritated and vexed―tell me how this Fernand is related to you?"
"He is merely my father," said Albert―"M. Fernand Mondego, Count de Morcerf, an old soldier, who has fought in twenty battles, and whose honorable scars they would denounce as badges of disgrace."
"Is it your father?" said Beauchamp; "that is quite another thing. Then I can well understand your indignation, my dear Albert. I will reperuse." And he read the paragraph for the third time, laying a stress on each word as he proceeded. "But the paper nowhere identifies this Fernand with your father."
