"Certainly. I do not see why I should not be pope some day."
"Well! Borgia was one."
"May God give us both a long life, monseigneur, and you will see that, and many other things."
"Pardieu!" said the regent, "you know that I laugh at death."
"Alas, too much."
"Well, you will make a poltroon of me by curiosity."
"It would be none the worse; and to commence, monseigneur would do well to discontinue his nocturnal excursions."
"Why?"
"In the first place because they endanger his life."
"What does that matter?"