t.

Once a week he received foreign ministers, and on Sundays heard mass in
his private chapel.

At six, on council days, at five on others, all business was over; then
the regent would go to the opera, or to Madame de Berry, with whom,
however, he had quarreled now, on account of her marriage with Riom.
Then came those famous suppers.

They were composed of from ten to fifteen persons, and the regent's
presence among them sometimes added to their license and freedom, but
never restrained it. At these suppers, kings, ministers, chancellors,
ladies of the court, were all passed in review, discussed, abused;
everything might be said, everything told, everything done; provided
only that it were wittily said, told, or done. When all the guests had
arrived, the doors were closed and barred, so that it was impossible to
reach the regent until the following morning, however urgent might be
the necessity.

Dubois was seldom of the number, his bad health forbade it; and this was
the time chosen to pick him to pieces, at which the regent would laugh
as heartily as any one. Dubois knew that he often furnished the
amusement of these suppers, but he also knew that by the morning the
regent invariably forgot what had been said the night before, and so he
cared little about it.

Dubois, however, watched while the regent supped or slept, and seemed
indefatigable; he appeared to have the gift of ubiquity.

When he returned from Rambouillet, he called Maitre Tapin, who had
returned on horseback, and talked with him for an hour, after which he
slept for four or five, then, rising, he presented himself at the door
of his royal highness; the regent was still asleep.

Dubois approached the bed and contemplated him with a smile which at
once resembled that of an ape and a demon.

At length he decided to wake him.

"Hola, monseigneur, wake up!" he cried.

The duke opened his eyes, and seeing Dubois, he turned his face to the
wall, saying--

"Ah! is that you, abbe; go to the devil!"

"Monseigneur, I have just been there, but he was too busy to receive me,
and sent me to you."

"Leave me alone; I am tired."

"I dare say, the night was stormy."

"What do you mean?" asked the duke, turning half round.

"I mean that the way you spent the night does not suit a man who makes
appointments for seven in the morning."

"Did I appoint you for seven in the morning?"

"Yes, yesterday morning, before you went to St. Germains."

"It