you the Chambertin, M. de Laval?"

"If you will drink with me to the health of the king."

"Certainly--if afterward you will drink with me to the health of the
regent."

"Monsieur," said Laval, "I am no longer thirsty."

"I believe it--you have just drunk some wine from his highness's
cellar."

"From the regent's?"

"He sent it me yesterday, knowing that I was to have the pleasure of
your company."

"In that case," said Brigaud, throwing the contents of his glass upon
the floor, "no more poison."

"Oh!" said Malezieux, "I did not know you were such a fanatic for the
good cause."

"You were wrong to spill it, abbe," said Richelieu, "I know that wine,
and you will hardly find such out of the Palais Royal--if it were
against your principles to drink it, you should have passed it to your
neighbor, or put it back in the bottle. 'Vinum in amphoram,' said my
schoolmaster."

"M. le Duc," said Brigaud, "you do not know Latin as well as Spanish."

"I know French still less, and I want to learn it."

"Oh! that would be long and tedious; better get admitted into the
Academy, it would be far easier."

"And do you speak Spanish?" asked Richelieu of De Chanlay.

"Report says, monsieur, that I am here for the abuse of that tongue."

"Monsieur," said the governor, "if you return to politics I must leave
the table."

"Then," said Richelieu, "tell Mademoiselle de Launay to talk
mathematics; that will not frighten any one."

Mademoiselle de Launay started; she had been carrying on a conversation
with Dumesnil, which had been greatly exciting the jealousy of
Maison-Rouge, who was in love with her.

When dinner was over, the governor conducted each guest back to his own
room, and when it came to Gaston's turn he asked M. de Launay if he
could have some razors, instruments which appeared necessary in a place
where such elegant company was assembled.

"Monsieur le Chevalier," said the governor, "I am distressed to refuse
you a thing of which I see the necessity; but it is against the rules
for any one to shave themselves unless they have special permission from
the lieutenant of police--no doubt you will obtain the permission if you
apply for it."

"But are those gentlemen whom I met here privileged, for they were well
dressed and shaved?"

"No, they all had to ask permission; the Duc de Richelieu remained for a
month with a beard like a patriarch."

"I find it difficult to reconcile such severity in detail with