Picard said that you wished to see me immediately." "I must beg you to pardon me, my dear duke," the marquis hastened to reply, "for insisting so strenuously upon disturbing your repose, and cutting short perhaps some delicious dream; but I am charged to see you upon a mission, which, among gentlemen, will not brook delay." "You excite my curiosity to the highest degree," said Vallombreuse, "and I cannot even imagine what this urgent business may be about." "I suppose it is not unlikely, my lord," rejoined the marquis, "that you have forgotten certain occurrences that took place last evening.

Such trifling matters are not apt to make a very deep impression, so with your permission I will recall them to your mind.

In the so-called green-room, down at the tennis-court, you deigned to honour with your particular notice a young person, Isabelle by name, and with a playfulness that I, for my part, do not consider criminal, you endeavoured to place an assassine for her, just above her white bosom, complimenting her upon its fairness as you did so.

This proceeding, which I do not criticise, greatly shocked and incensed a certain actor standing by, called Captain Fracasse, who rushed forward and seized your arm." "Marquis, you are the most faithful and conscientious of historiographers," interrupted Vallombreuse.

"That is all true, every word of it, and to finish the narrative I will add that I promised the rascal, who was as insolent as a noble, a sound thrashing at the hands of my lackeys; the most appropriate chastisement I could think of, for a low fellow of that sort." "No one can blame you for that, my dear duke, for there is certainly no very great harm in having a play-actor--or writer either, for that matter--thoroughly thrashed, if he has had the presumption to offend," said the marquis, with a contemptuous shrug; "such cattle are not worth the value of the sticks broken over their backs.