"A little practice here will amend that," D'Estournel said. "These things are well enough in a _salle d'armes_, and are useful when one man is opposed to another in a duel, but in a battle or _mêlée_ I fancy that they are of but little use, though indeed I have never yet had the chance of trying. We will introduce you to the master, and I hope that you will come here regularly; it will give real pleasure to all. This salon is kept up by the duke for our benefit, and as you are one of his most pressingly invited guests you are certainly free of it."