ked La Ramee.

"'Tis your fault, you simpleton," answered the duke. "With your idle
nonsense yesterday about escaping, you worried me so that I dreamed that
I was trying to escape and broke my neck in doing so."

La Ramee laughed.

"Come," he said, "'tis a warning from Heaven. Never commit such an
imprudence as to try to escape, except in your dreams."

"And you are right, my dear La Ramee," said the duke, wiping away the
sweat that stood on his brow, wide awake though he was; "after this I
will think of nothing but eating and drinking."

"Hush!" said La Ramee; and one by one he sent away the guards, on
various pretexts.

"Well?" asked the duke when they were alone.

"Well!" replied La Ramee, "your supper is ordered."

"Ah! and what is it to be? Monsieur, my majordomo, will there be a pie?"

"I should think so, indeed--almost as high as a tower."

"You told him it was for me?"

"Yes, and he said he would do his best to please your highness."

"Good!" exclaimed the duke, rubbing his hands.

"Devil take it, my lord! what a gourmand you are growing; I haven't seen
you with so cheerful a face these five years."

The duke saw that he had not controlled himself as he ought, but at that
moment, as if he had listened at the door and comprehended the urgent
need of diverting La Ramee's ideas, Grimaud entered and made a sign to
La Ramee that he had something to say to him.

La Ramee drew near to Grimaud, who spoke to him in a low voice.

The duke meanwhile recovered his self-control.

"I have already forbidden that man," he said, "to come in here without
my permission."

"You must pardon him, my lord," said La Ramee, "for I directed him to
come."

"And why did you so direct when you know that he displeases me?"

"My lord will remember that it was agreed between us that he should wait
upon us at that famous supper. My lord has forgotten the supper."

"No, but I have forgotten Monsieur Grimaud."

"My lord understands that there can be no supper unless he is allowed to
be present."

"Go on, then; have it your own way."

"Come here, my lad," said La Ramee, "and hear what I have to say."

Grimaud approached, with a very sullen expression on his face.

La Ramee continued: "My lord has done me the honor to invite me to a
supper to-morrow en tete-a-tete."

Grimaud made a sign which meant that he didn't see what that had to do
with him.

"Yes, yes," said La Ramee, "the matter concerns you, for you will h