"Ma foi, monseigneur, a charming little Bretonne, sixteen or seventeen years old, beautiful, coming direct from the Augustine convent at Clisson, accompanied to Rambouillet by one of the sisters, whose troublesome presence was soon dispensed with, was it not?"
"Dubois, I have often thought you were the devil, who has taken the form of an abbe to ruin me."
"To save you, monseigneur, to save you."
"To save me; I do not believe it."
"Well," said Dubois, "are you pleased with her?"
"Enchanted, Dubois; she is charming."
"Well, you have brought her from so far, that if she were not, you would be quite cheated."
The regent frowned, but, reflecting that probably Dubois did not know the rest, the frown changed to a smile.
"Dubois," said he, "certainly, you are a great man."
"Ah, monseigneur, no one but you doubts it, and yet you disgrace me—"