“Certainly.”
“Those whom you have named?”
“And others, for what I know. Ask all the town and the court. One must be just returned from America to be ignorant of all they say.”
“And who say this, sir? some vile pamphleteers!”
“Oh! do you, then, take me for an editor?”
“No, and there is the mischief, when men like you repeat such calumnies, which, without that, would melt away like the unwholesome vapors which sometimes obscure the most brilliant sunshine; but people like you, repeating them, give them a terrible stability. Oh! monsieur, for mercy’s sake do not repeat such things.”
“I do repeat them, however.”
“And why do you repeat them?” cried Philippe, fiercely.
“Oh!” said the old man with his satanic laugh, “to prove to you that I was not wrong when I said, ‘Philippe, the queen looks back; she is looking for you. Philippe, the queen wishes for you; run to her.’”
“Oh! father, hold your tongue, or you will drive me mad.”