such profound respect, that the regent laughed. I did not
expect this explosion, and was a little disconcerted. I took a chair,
but the regent signed to me to take my place on the sofa. I obeyed.

"'My dear duke,' he said, 'we have written to you on a serious affair.
Here is this poor marchioness, who, after being separated from her
husband for two years, is threatened with an action by this clown, under
pretext that she has a lover.' The marchioness tried to blush, but
finding she could not, covered her face with her fan. 'At the first word
she told me of her position,' continued the regent, 'I sent for
D'Argenson, and asked him who this lover could be.'

"'Oh, monsieur, spare me!' said the marchioness.--'Nonsense, my little
duck; a little patience.'--'Do you know what the lieutenant of police
answered me, my dear duke?'--'No,' said I, much embarrassed.--'He said
it was either you or me.'--'It is an atrocious calumny,' I
cried.--'Don't be excited, the marchioness has confessed all.'

"'Then,' I replied, 'if the marchioness has confessed all, I do not see
what remains for me to tell.'--'Oh!' continued the regent, 'I do not ask
you for details. It only remains for us, as accomplices, to get one
another out of the scrape.'--'And what have you to fear, monseigneur?' I
asked. 'I know that, protected by your highness's name, I might brave
all. What have we to fear?'--'The outcry of Parabere, who wants me to
make him a duke.'

"'Well, suppose we reconcile them,' replied I.--'Exactly,' said his
highness, laughing; 'and you have had the same idea as the
marchioness.'--'Pardieu, madame, that is an honor for me. There must be
a kind of apparent reconciliation between this tender couple, which
would prevent the marquis from incommoding us with the scandal of an
action.'--'But the difficulty,' objected Madame de Parabere, 'is, that
it is two years since he has been here; and, as he piques himself on his
jealousy and severity, what can we say? He has made a vow, that if any
one sets foot here during his absence, the law should avenge him.'

"'You see, Richelieu, this becomes rather uncomfortable,' added the
regent.--'Peste! It does indeed.'--'I have some means of coercion in my
hands, but they do not go so far as to force a husband to be reconciled
to his wife, and to receive her at his house.'--'Well,' replied I,
'suppose we bring him here.'--'There is the difficulty.'--'Wait a
moment. May I ask if Monsieur de Parabere still ha