"What!" said Ravanne, "can you not tell what is falling?" and he also came on to the balcony.
"After all," said Simiane, "I am not sure that anything is falling."
"He is dead drunk," said the regent.
"I!" said Simiane, wounded in his amour propre as a toper, "I dead drunk! Come here, monseigneur, come."
Though the invitation was given in a strange manner, the regent joined his companions, laughing. By his gait it was easy to see that he himself was more than warmed.
"Ah! dead drunk," replied Simiane, holding out his hand to the prince; "well, I bet you a hundred louis that, regent of France as you are, you will not do what I do."
"You hear, monseigneur," said a female voice from the room; "it is a challenge."
"And as such I accept it."
"Done, for a hundred louis."
"I go halves with whoever likes," said Ravanne.