"Oh!" cried La Hurière; "in truth, my dear gentlemen, you are genuine princes, and you may count on me for life and for death."
"If that is so," said Coconnas, "make us the omelet we want, and spare neither butter nor lard."
Then looking at the clock,
"Faith, you are right, La Mole," said he, "we still have three hours to wait, and we may as well be here as anywhere else. All the more because, if I am not mistaken, we are already half way to the Pont Saint Michel."
And the two young men went and sat down at table in the very same room and at the very same place which they had occupied during that memorable evening of the twenty-sixth of August, 1572, when Coconnas had proposed to La Mole to play each against the other the first mistress which they should have!
Let us grant for the honor of the morality of our two young men that neither of them this evening had the least idea of making such a proposition to his companion.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE ABODE OF MAÎTRE RÉNÉ, PERFUMER TO THE QUEEN MOTHER.
At the period of this history there existed in Paris, for passing from one part of the city to another, but five bridges, some of stone and the others of wood, and they all led to the Cité; there were le Pont des Meuniers, le Pont au Change, le Pont Notre-Dame, le Petit Pont, and le Pont Saint Michel.