as Regnard
Cheverny did, and no more aspiring man ever lived, was likely to be
forgotten if he remained away from Paris too long. So, I took it, he
had a strong motive for staying in Brabant.

I often wondered what Jacques Haret's feelings must be, when Regnard,
as he often did, talked openly about the new plans for Castle Haret.
But Jacques showed his usual cool and unruffled front. It is
astonishing how many good and even great qualities a man may possess
and still be a scoundrel of the first water. Jacques would sometimes
take a laughing but advisatory tone with Regnard.

"Do not, my dear fellow," he would say, "be eaten up with ambition to
shine before kings. I remember once, in my childhood, the Duc
d'Orleans, the king's brother, came to Brabant, and was to dine at
Castle Haret. All sorts of things were to be done. In the lake there
was to be an island, from which concealed music played. But this
island, mind you, was to move about. It was a thing of poles and beams
extending from a boat, with twelve stout rowers, who were hidden by
plants and vines. Old Peter here, then a young man, contrived it, and
my father expected to receive a court appointment for that island.
Well, the duke came, was entertained at dinner, ate the wing of a
chicken, was taken to the lake and did not notice the island moved
until my father in an agony called his attention to it. Then the duke
went back, slept until supper time, looked for about ten minutes at
some fireworks that my father had ordered all the way from Paris and
had near ruined himself by--and left the next morning, with an
influenza, which his Highness swore he had got at Castle Haret. My
father got nothing except the influenza, for all his money and pains.
So do not you, my young friend, try your luck with princes."

Regnard did not like this speech, and replied tartly that the
Chevernys had generally succeeded where the Harets had failed; which
was true enough.

I continued to be puzzled to know why Jacques Haret should remain.
Gentlemen of his kidney need a great town to operate in, not a far-off
province. And what would he live on? For Gaston Cheverny, however
hospitable he might he, would not allow Jacques Haret a permanent
footing at the Manoir Cheverny; and besides, Gaston would shortly
follow us to Paris--and he was not a rich enough man to pay for
Jacques Haret's company on the way. There was little question about
Jacques Haret's means of livelihood for the pre