\"Thedeuce！\"criedLoret;\"whatadangerousthing！？Onewouldgomadwithit！\"
\"Thedeuce！thedeuce！\"repeatedLaFontaine;\"whatcanIdo？\"
\"I
havediscoveredtheway，\"saidMoli鑢e，whohadenteredjustatthispointoftheconversation。
\"Whatway？\"
\"Writethemfirstandburnthemafterwards。\"
\"Howsimple！？Well，Ishouldneverhavediscoveredthat。？WhatamindthatdevilofaMoli鑢ehas！\"saidLaFontaine。？Then，strikinghisforehead，\"Oh，thouwiltneverbeaughtbutanass，JeanLaFontaine！\"headded。
\"Whatareyousayingthere，myfriend？\"brokeinMoli鑢e，approachingthepoet，whoseasidehehadheard。
\"I
sayIshallneverbeaughtbutanass，\"answeredLaFontaine，withaheavysighandswimmingeyes。？\"Yes，myfriend，\"headded，withincreasinggrief，\"itseemsthatIrhymeinaslovenlymanner。\"
\"Oh，\'tiswrongtosayso。\"
\"Nay，Iamapoorcreature！\"
\"Whosaidso？\"
\"Parbleu！\'twasP閘isson;didyounot，P閘isson？\"
P閘isson，againabsorbedinhiswork，tookgoodcarenottoanswer。
\"ButifP閘issonsaidyouwereso，\"criedMoli鑢e，\"P閘issonhasseriouslyoffendedyou。\"
\"Doyouthinkso？\"
\"Ah！？Iadviseyou，asyouareagentleman，nottoleaveaninsultlikethatunpunished。\"
\"What！\"exclaimedLaFontaine。
\"Didyoueverfight？\"
\"Onceonly，withalieutenantinthelighthorse。\"
\"Whatwronghadhedoneyou？\"
\"Itseemsheranawaywithmywife。\"
\"Ah，ah！\"saidMoli鑢e，becomingslightlypale;butas，atLaFontaine\'sdeclaration，theothershadturnedround，Moli鑢ekeptuponhislipstherallyingsmilewhichhadsonearlydiedaway，andcontinuingtomakeLaFontainespeak—
\"Andwhatwastheresultoftheduel？\"
\"Theresultwas，thatonthegroundmyopponentdisarmedme，andthenmadeanapology，promisingneveragaintosetfootinmyhouse。\"
\"Andyouconsideredyourselfsatisfied？\"saidMoli鑢e。
\"Notatall！onthecontrary，Ipickedupmysword。？\'Ibegyourpardon，monsieur，\'Isaid，\'Ihavenotfoughtyoubecauseyouweremywife\'sfriend，butbecauseIwastoldIoughttofight。？So，asIhaveneverknownanypeacesavesinceyoumadeheracquaintance，domethepleasuretocontinueyourvisitsasheretofore，ormorbleu！letussettoagain。\'？Andso，\"continuedLaFontaine，\"hewascompelledtoresumehisfriendshipwithmadame，andI
continuetobethehappiestofhusbands。\"
Allburstoutlaughing。？Moli鑢ealonepassedhishandacrosshiseyes。？Why？？Perhapstowipeawayatear，perhapstosmotherasigh。？Alas！
weknowthatMoli鑢ewasamoralist，buthewasnotaphilosopher。？\"\'Tisallone，\"hesaid，returningtothetopicoftheconversation，\"P閘issonhasinsultedyou。\"
\"Ah，truly！？Ihadalreadyforgottenit。\"
\"AndIamgoingtochallengehimonyourbehalf。\"
\"Well，youcandoso，ifyouthinkitindispensable。\"
\"I
dothinkitindispensable，andIamgoingto—\"
\"Stay，\"
exclaimedLaFontaine，\"Iwantyouradvice。\"
\"Uponwhat？thisinsult？\"
\"No;
tellmereallynowwhetherlumi鑢edoesnotrhymewithorni鑢e。\"
\"I
shouldmakethemrhyme。\"
\"Ah！？Iknewyouwould。\"
\"AndIhavemadeahundredthousandsuchrhymesinmytime。\"
\"A
hundredthousand！\"criedLaFontaine。？\"Fourtimesasmanyas\'LaPucelle，\'whichM。Chaplainismeditating。？Isitalsoonthissubject，too，thatyouhavecomposedahundredthousandverses？\"
\"Listentome，youeternallyabsent—mindedcreature，\"saidMoli鑢e。
\"Itiscertain，\"continuedLaFontaine，\"thatl間ume，forinstance，rhymeswithposthume。\"
\"Intheplural，aboveall。\"
\"Yes，aboveallintheplural，seeingthatthenitrhymesnotwiththreeletters，butwithfour;asorni鑢edoeswithlumi鑢e。\"
\"Butgivemeorni鑢esandlumi鑢esintheplural，mydearP閘isson，\"saidLaFontaine，clappinghishandontheshoulderofhisfriend，whoseinsulthehadquiteforgotten，\"andtheywillrhyme。\"
\"Hem！\"
coughedP閘isson。
\"Moli鑢esaysso，andMoli鑢eisajudgeofsuchthings;hedeclareshehashimselfmadeahundredthousandverses。\"
\"Come，\"
saidMoli鑢e，laughing，\"heisoffnow。\"
\"Itislikerivage，whichrhymesadmirablywithherbage。？Iwouldtakemyoathofit。\"
\"But—\"saidMoli鑢e。
\"I
tellyouallthis，\"continuedLaFontaine，\"becauseyouarepreparingadivertissementforVaux，areyounot？\"
\"Yes，the\'F鈉heux。\'\"
\"Ah，yes，the\'F鈉heux;\'yes，Irecollect。？Well，Iwasthinkingaprologuewouldadmirablysuityourdivertissement。\"
\"Doubtlessitwouldsuitcapitally。\"
\"Ah！
youareofmyopinion？\"
\"Somuchso，thatIhaveaskedyoutowritethisveryprologue。\"
\"Youaskedmetowriteit？\"
\"Yes，you，andonyourrefusalbeggedyoutoaskP閘isson，whoisengageduponitatthismoment。\"
\"Ah！
thatiswhatP閘issonisdoing，then？？I\'faith，mydearMoli鑢e，youareindeedoftenright。\"
\"When？\"
\"Whenyoucallmeabsent—minded。？Itisamonstrousdefect;Iwillcuremyselfofit，anddoyourprologueforyou。\"
\"ButinasmuchasP閘issonisaboutit！—\"
\"Ah，true，miserablerascalthatIam！？LoretwasindeedrightinsayingIwasapoorcreature。\"
\"ItwasnotLoretwhosaidso，myfriend。\"
\"Well，then，whoeversaidso，\'tisthesametome！？Andsoyourdivertissementiscalledthe\'F鈉heux？\'？Well，canyoumakeheureuxrhymewithf鈉heux？\"
\"Ifobliged，yes。\"
\"Andevenwithcapriceux。\"
\"Oh，no，no。\"
\"Itwouldbehazardous，andyetwhyso？\"
\"Thereistoogreatadifferenceinthecadences。\"
\"I
wasfancying，\"saidLaFontaine，leavingMoli鑢eforLoret—\"Iwasfancying—\"
\"Whatwereyoufancying？\"saidLoret，inthemiddleofasentence。？\"Makehaste。\"
\"Youarewritingtheprologuetothe\'F鈉heux，\'areyounot？\"
\"No！mordieu！itisP閘isson。\"
\"Ah，P閘isson，\"criedLaFontaine，goingovertohim，\"Iwasfancying，\"hecontinued，\"thatthenymphofVaux—\"
\"Ah，beautiful！\"criedLoret。？\"ThenymphofVaux！thankyou，LaFontaine;youhavejustgivenmethetwoconcludingversesofmypaper。\"
\"Well，ifyoucanrhymesowell，LaFontaine，\"saidP閘isson，\"tellmenowinwhatwayyouwouldbeginmyprologue？\"
\"I
shouldsay，forinstance，\'Oh！nymph，who—\'？After\'who\'Ishouldplaceaverbinthesecondpersonsingularofthepresentindicative;andshouldgoonthus:\'thisgrotprofound。\'\"
\"Buttheverb，theverb？\"askedP閘isson。
\"Toadmirethegreatestkingofallkingsround，\"continuedLaFontaine。
\"Buttheverb，theverb，\"obstinatelyinsistedP閘isson。？\"Thissecondpersonsingularofthepresentindicative？\"
\"Well，then;quittest:
\"Oh，nymph，whoquittestnowthisgrotprofound，Toadmirethegreatestkingofallkingsround。\"
\"Youwouldnotput\'whoquittest，\'wouldyou？\"
\"Whynot？\"
\"\'Quittest，\'
after\'youwho\'？\"
\"Ah！
mydearfellow，\"exclaimedLaFontaine，\"youareashockingpedant！\"
\"Withoutcounting，\"saidMoli鑢e，\"thatthesecondverse，\'kingofallkingsround，\'isveryweak，mydearLaFontaine。\"
\"ThenyouseeclearlyIamnothingbutapoorcreature，—ashuffler，asyousaid。\"
\"I
neversaidso。\"
\"Then，asLoretsaid。\"
\"AnditwasnotLoreteither;itwasP閘isson。\"
\"Well，P閘issonwasrightahundredtimesover。？Butwhatannoysmemorethananything，mydearMoli鑢e，is，thatIfearweshallnothaveourEpicureandresses。\"
\"Youexpectedyours，then，forthef阾e？\"
\"Yes，forthef阾e，andthenforafterthef阾e。？Myhousekeepertoldmethatmyownisratherfaded。\"
\"Diable！yourhousekeeperisright;
rathermorethanfaded。\"
\"Ah，yousee，\"resumedLaFontaine，\"thefactis，Ileftitonthefloorinmyroom，andmycat—\"
\"Well，yourcat—\"
\"Shemadehernestuponit，whichhasratherchangeditscolor。\"
Moli鑢eburstoutlaughing;P閘issonandLoretfollowedhisexample。？Atthisjuncture，thebishopofVannesappeared，witharollofplansandparchmentsunderhisarm。？Asiftheangelofdeathhadchilledallgayandsprightlyfancies—asifthatwanformhadscaredawaytheGracestowhomXenocratessacrificed—silenceimmediatelyreignedthroughthestudy，andeveryoneresumedhisself—possessionandhispen。？Aramisdistributedthenotesofinvitation，andthankedtheminthenameofM。Fouquet。？\"Thesuperintendent，\"hesaid，\"beingkepttohisroombybusiness，couldnotcomeandseethem，butbeggedthemtosendhimsomeofthefruitsoftheirday\'swork，toenablehimtoforgetthefatigueofhislaborinthenight。\"
Atthesewords，allsettleddowntowork。？LaFontaineplacedhimselfatatable，andsethisrapidpenanendlessdanceacrossthesmoothwhitevellum;P閘issonmadeafaircopyofhisprologue;Moli鑢econtributedfiftyfreshverses，withwhichhisvisittoPercerinhadinspiredhim;Loret，anarticleonthemarvelousf阾eshepredicted;andAramis，ladenwithhisbootylikethekingofthebees，thatgreatblackdrone，deckedwithpurpleandgold，re—enteredhisapartment，silentandbusy。？Butbeforedeparting，\"Remember，gentlemen，\"
saidhe，\"weleaveto—morrowevening。\"
\"Inthatcase，Imustgivenoticeathome，\"saidMoli鑢e。
\"Yes;
poorMoli鑢e！\"saidLoret，smiling;\"heloveshishome。\"
\"\'Heloves，\'yes，\"repliedMoli鑢e，withhissad，sweetsmile。？\"\'Heloves，\'thatdoesnotmean，theylovehim。\"
\"Asforme，\"saidLaFontaine，\"theylovemeatCh鈚eauThierry，Iamverysure。\"
Aramisherere—enteredafterabriefdisappearance。
\"Willanyonegowithme？\"heasked。？\"IamgoingbyParis，afterhavingpassedaquarterofanhourwithM。Fouquet。？Ioffermycarriage。\"
\"Good，\"
saidMoli鑢e，\"Iacceptit。？Iaminahurry。\"
\"I
shalldinehere，\"saidLoret。？\"M。deGourvillehaspromisedmesomecraw—fish。\"
\"Hehaspromisedmesomewhitings。？Findarhymeforthat，LaFontaine。\"
Aramiswentoutlaughing，asonlyhecouldlaugh，andMoli鑢efollowedhim。？Theywereatthebottomofthestairs，whenLaFontaineopenedthedoor，andshoutedout:
\"Hehaspromisedussomewhitings，Inreturnfortheseourwritings。\"
TheshoutsoflaughterreachedtheearsofFouquetatthemomentAramisopenedthedoorofthestudy。？AstoMoli鑢e，hehadundertakentoorderthehorses，whileAramiswenttoexchangeapartingwordwiththesuperintendent。？\"Oh，howtheyarelaughingthere！\"
saidFouquet，withasigh。
\"Doyounotlaugh，monseigneur？\"
\"I
laughnolongernow，M。d\'Herblay。？Thef阾eisapproaching;moneyisdeparting。\"
\"HaveInottoldyouthatwasmybusiness？\"
\"Yes，youpromisedmemillions。\"
\"Youshallhavethemthedayaftertheking\'sentr閑intoVaux。\"
FouquetlookedcloselyatAramis，andpassedthebackofhisicyhandacrosshismoistenedbrow。？Aramisperceivedthatthesuperintendenteitherdoubtedhim，orfelthewaspowerlesstoobtainthemoney。？HowcouldFouquetsupposethatapoorbishop，ex—abb？ex—musketeer，couldfindany？
\"Whydoubtme？\"saidAramis。？Fouquetsmiledandshookhishead。
\"Manoflittlefaith！\"addedthebishop。
\"MydearM。d\'Herblay，\"answeredFouquet，\"ifIfall—\"
\"Well;
ifyou\'fall\'？\"
\"I
shall，atleast，fallfromsuchaheight，thatIshallshattermyselfinfalling。\"？Thengivinghimselfashake，asthoughtoescapefromhimself，\"Whencecameyou，\"saidhe，\"myfriend？\"
\"FromParis—fromPercerin。\"
\"AndwhathaveyoubeendoingatPercerin\'s，forIsupposeyouattachnogreatimportancetoourpoets\'dresses？\"
\"No;
Iwenttoprepareasurprise。\"
\"Surprise？\"
\"Yes;
whichyouaregoingtogivetotheking。\"
\"Andwillitcostmuch？\"
\"Oh！
ahundredpistolesyouwillgiveLebrun。\"
\"A
painting？—Ah！allthebetter！？Andwhatisthispaintingtorepresent？\"
\"I
willtellyou;thenatthesametime，whateveryoumaysayorthinkofit，I
wenttoseethedressesforourpoets。\"
\"Bah！
andtheywillberichandelegant？\"
\"Splendid！？Therewillbefewgreatmonseigneurswithsogood。？Peoplewillseethedifferencethereisbetweenthecourtiersofwealthandthoseoffriendship。\"
\"Evergenerousandgrateful，dearprelate。\"
\"Inyourschool。\"
Fouquetgraspedhishand。？\"Andwhereareyougoing？\"hesaid。
\"IamofftoParis，whenyoushallhavegivenacertainletter。\"
\"Forwhom？\"
\"M。deLyonne。\"
\"AndwhatdoyouwantwithLyonne？\"
\"Iwishtomakehimsignalettredecachet。\"
\"\'Lettredecachet！\'？DoyoudesiretoputsomebodyintheBastile？\"
\"Onthecontrary—toletsomebodyout。\"
\"Andwho？\"
\"A
poordevil—ayouth，aladwhohasbeenBastiledthesetenyears，fortwoLatinverseshemadeagainsttheJesuits。\"
\"\'TwoLatinverses！\'and，for\'twoLatinverses，\'themiserablebeinghasbeeninprisonfortenyears！\"
\"Yes！\"
\"Andhascommittednoothercrime？\"
\"Beyondthis，heisasinnocentasyouorI。\"
\"Onyourword？\"
\"Onmyhonor！\"
\"Andhisnameis—\"
\"Seldon。\"
\"Yes。—Butitistoobad。？Youknewthis，andyounevertoldme！\"
\"\'Twasonlyyesterdayhismotherappliedtome，monseigneur。\"
\"Andthewomanispoor！\"
\"Inthedeepestmisery。\"
\"Heaven，\"
saidFouquet，\"sometimesbearswithsuchinjusticeonearth，thatIhardlywondertherearewretcheswhodoubtofitsexistence。？Stay，M。d\'Herblay。\"？AndFouquet，takingapen，wroteafewrapidlinestohiscolleagueLyonne。？Aramistooktheletterandmadereadytogo。
\"Wait，\"
saidFouquet。？Heopenedhisdrawer，andtookouttengovernmentnoteswhichwerethere，eachforathousandfrancs。？\"Stay，\"hesaid;\"setthesonatliberty，andgivethistothemother;but，aboveall，donottellher—
\"
\"What，monseigneur？\"
\"ThatsheistenthousandlivresricherthanI。？ShewouldsayIambutapoorsuperintendent！？Go！andIpraythatGodwillblessthosewhoaremindfulofhispoor！\"
\"SoalsodoIpray，\"repliedAramis，kissingFouquet\'shand。
Andhewentoutquickly，carryingofftheletterforLyonneandthenotesforSeldon\'smother，andtakingupMoli鑢e，whowasbeginningtolosepatience。
ChapterVII:
AnotherSupperattheBastile。
Seveno\'clocksoundedfromthegreatclockoftheBastile，thatfamousclock，which，likealltheaccessoriesofthestateprison，theveryuseofwhichisatorture，recalledtotheprisoners\'mindsthedestinationofeveryhouroftheirpunishment。？Thetime—pieceoftheBastile，adornedwithfigures，likemostoftheclocksoftheperiod，representedSt。Peterinbonds。？Itwasthesupperhouroftheunfortunatecaptives。？Thedoors，gratingontheirenormoushinges，openedforthepassageofthebasketsandtraysofprovisions，theabundanceandthedelicacyofwhich，asM。deBaisemeauxhashimselftaughtus，wasregulatedbytheconditioninlifeoftheprisoner。？WeunderstandonthisheadthetheoriesofM。deBaisemeaux，sovereigndispenserofgastronomicdelicacies，headcookoftheroyalfortress，whosetrays，full—laden，wereascendingthesteepstaircases，carryingsomeconsolationtotheprisonersintheshapeofhonestlyfilledbottlesofgoodvintages。？ThissamehourwasthatofM。legouverneur\'ssupperalso。？Hehadaguestto—day，andthespitturnedmoreheavilythanusual。？Roastpartridges，flankedwithquailsandflankingalardedleveret;boiledfowls;hams，friedandsprinkledwithwhitewine，cardonsofGuipuzcoaandlabisque閏revisses:these，togetherwithsoupsandhorsd\'渦vres，constitutedthegovernor\'sbilloffare。？Baisemeaux，seatedattable，wasrubbinghishandsandlookingatthebishopofVannes，who，bootedlikeacavalier，dressedingrayandswordatside，kepttalkingofhishungerandtestifyingtheliveliestimpatience。？M。deBaisemeauxdeMontlezunwasnotaccustomedtotheunbendingmovementsofhisgreatnessmylordofVannes，andthiseveningAramis，becomingsprightly，volunteeredconfidenceonconfidence。？Theprelatehadagainalittletouchofthemusketeerabouthim。？Thebishopjusttrenchedonthebordersonlyoflicenseinhisstyleofconversation。？AsforM。deBaisemeaux，withthefacilityofvulgarpeople，hegavehimselfupentirelyuponthispointofhisguest\'sfreedom。？\"Monsieur，\"saidhe，\"forindeedto—nightIdarenotcallyoumonseigneur。\"
\"Bynomeans，\"saidAramis;\"callmemonsieur;Iambooted。\"
\"Doyouknow，monsieur，ofwhomyouremindmethisevening？\"
\"No！
faith，\"saidAramis，takinguphisglass;\"butIhopeIremindyouofacapitalguest。\"
\"Youremindmeoftwo，monsieur。？Fran鏾is，shutthewindow;thewindmayannoyhisgreatness。\"
\"Andlethimgo，\"addedAramis。？\"Thesupperiscompletelyserved，andweshalleatitverywellwithoutwaiters。？Ilikeexceedinglytobet阾e—？t阾ewhenIamwithafriend。\"？Baisemeauxbowedrespectfully。
\"I
likeexceedingly，\"continuedAramis，\"tohelpmyself。\"
\"Retire，Fran鏾is，\"criedBaisemeaux。？\"I
wassayingthatyourgreatnessputsmeinmindoftwopersons;oneveryillustrious，thelatecardinal，thegreatCardinaldelaRochelle，whoworebootslikeyou。\"
\"Indeed，\"
saidAramis;\"andtheother？\"
\"Theotherwasacertainmusketeer，veryhandsome，verybrave，veryadventurous，veryfortunate，who，frombeingabb？turnedmusketeer，andfrommusketeerturnedabb\"t;？Aramiscondescendedtosmile。？\"Fromabb？;
continuedBaisemeaux，encouragedbyAramis\'ssmile—\";fromabb？bishop—
andfrombishop\"t;
\"Ah！
staythere，Ibeg，\"exclaimedAramis。
\"I
havejustsaid，monsieur，thatyougavemetheideaofacardinal。\"
\"Enough，dearM。Baisemeaux。？Asyousaid，Ihaveonthebootsofacavalier，butIdonotintend，forallthat，toembroilmyselfwiththechurchthisevening。\"
\"Butyouhavewickedintentions，nevertheless，monseigneur。\"
\"Oh，yes，wicked，Iown，aseverythingmundaneis。\"
\"Youtraversethetownandthestreetsindisguise？\"
\"Indisguise，asyousay。\"
\"Andyoustillmakeuseofyoursword？\"
\"Yes，Ishouldthinkso;butonlywhenIamcompelled。？DomethepleasuretosummonFran鏾is。\"
\"Haveyounowinethere？\"
\"\'Tisnotforwine，butbecauseitishothere，andthewindowisshut。\"
\"I
shutthewindowsatsupper—timesoasnottohearthesoundsorthearrivalofcouriers。\"
\"Ah，yes。？Youhearthemwhenthewindowisopen？\"
\"Buttoowell，andthatdisturbsme。？Youunderstand？\"