how to provide for yourself in that
barbarous country which you are about to visit. _Tout voyageur doit tout
savoir!_"

"Avery admirable saying; which leads me to understand that Monseigneur
has been a great traveller," said I.

"Ay, in all things and _all places_; eh, Count?" answered the Regent,
smiling; "but," here he lowered his voice a little, "I have never yet
learned how you came so opportunely to our assistance that night. _Dieu
me damne_! but it reminds me of the old story of the two sisters meeting
at a gallant's house. 'Oh, Sister, how came _you_ here?' said one, in
virtuous amazement. '_Ciel! ma soeur_!' cries the other; 'what brought
_you_?'"*

* The reader will remember a better version of this anecdote in one of
the most popular of the English comedies.--ED.

"Monseigneur is pleasant," said I, laughing; "but a man does now and
then (though I own it is very seldom) do a good action, without having
previously resolved to commit a bad one!"

"I like your parenthesis," cried the Regent; "it reminds me of my friend
St. Simon, who thinks so ill of mankind that I asked him one day whether
it was possible for him to despise anything more than men? 'Yes,' said
he, with a low bow, 'women!'"

"His experience," said I, glancing at the female part of the _coterie_,
"was, I must own, likely to lead him to that opinion."

"None of your sarcasms, Monsieur," cried the Regent.

"'L'amusement est un des besoins de l'homme,' as I hear young Arouet
very pithily said the other day; and we owe gratitude to whomsoever it
may be that supplies that want. Now, you will agree with me that none
supply it like women therefore we owe them gratitude; therefore we must
not hear them abused. Logically proved, I think!"

"Yes, indeed," said I, "it is a pleasure to find they have so able an
advocate; and that your Highness can so well apply to yourself _both_
the assertions in the motto of the great master of fortification,
Vauban,--'I destroy, but I defend.'"

"Enough," said the Duke, gayly, "now to _our fortifzeations_;" and he
moved away towards the women; I followed the royal example, and soon
found myself seated next to a pretty and very small woman. We entered
into conversation; and, when once begun, my fair companion took care
that it should not cease, without a miracle. By the goddess Facundia,
what volumes of words issued from that little mouth! and on all
subjects too! church, state, law, politics, play-houses, lampo