replied the minister, "ask Gourville to tell you what it is."
Pellisson, on turning round, found La Fontaine treading upon his heels.
He was obliged to listen to a Latin verse, which the poet had composed
upon Vatel. La Fontaine had, for an hour, been scanning this verse in
all corners, seeking some one to pour it out upon advantageously. He
thought he had caught Pellisson, but the latter escaped him; he turned
towards Sorel, who had, himself, just composed a quatrain in honor of
the supper, and the Amphytrion. La Fontaine in vain endeavored to
gain attention to his verses; Sorel wanted to obtain a hearing for his
quatrain. He was obliged to retreat before M. le Comte de Chanost whose
arm Fouquet had just taken. L'Abbe Fouquet perceived that the poet,
absent-minded, as usual, was about to follow the two talkers, and he
interposed. La Fontaine seized upon him, and recited his verses. The
abbe, who was quite innocent of Latin, nodded his head, in cadence, at
every roll which La Fontaine impressed upon his body, according to the
undulations of the dactyls and spondees. While this was going on,
behind the confiture-basins, Fouquet related the event of the day to his
son-in-law, M. de Chanost. "We will send the idle and useless to look at
the fireworks," said Pellisson to Gourville, "whilst we converse here."

"So be it," said Gourville, addressing four words to Vatel. The latter
then led towards the gardens the major part of the beaux, the ladies and
the chatterers, whilst the men walked in the gallery, lighted by three
hundred wax-lights, in the sight of all; the admirers of fireworks all
ran away towards the garden. Gourville approached Fouquet, and said:
"Monsieur, we are here."

"All!" said Fouquet.

"Yes,--count." The superintendent counted; there were eight persons.
Pellisson and Gourville walked arm in arm, as if conversing upon vague
and frivolous subjects. Sorel and two officers imitated them, in an
opposite direction. The Abbe Fouquet walked alone. Fouquet, with M.
de Chanost, walked as if entirely absorbed in the conversation of his
son-in-law. "Messieurs," said he, "let no one of you raise his head as
he walks, or appear to pay attention to me; continue walking, we are
alone, listen to me."

A perfect silence ensued, disturbed only by the distant cries of the
joyous guests, from the groves whence they beheld the fireworks. It was
a whimsical spectacle this, of these men walking in groups, as if each
one was