“I kill them by dozens,” said he, proudly, being enchanted by the attention which the two young men were paying to the recital of his exploits.
“It must be a delightful thing for your good lady, if she be fond of ducks,” said Emanuel.
“She adores them,” said M. de Nozay.
“I hope you will do me the honor to introduce me to so interesting a person,” said Lectoure, bowing.
“Undoubtedly baron.”
“I swear to you,” said Lectoure, “that instantly on my return to Paris, I will speak of this sport in the king’s dressing-room, and I am persuaded that his majesty himself will make a trial of it in one of his large ponds of Versailles.”
“I beg your pardon, dear marquis,” said Emanuel, taking Lectoure’s arm, and whispering in his ear, “this is one of our country neighbors, whom we could not do otherwise than invite on so solemn an occasion.”
“It requires no apology, my dear friend,” said Lectoure, using the same precaution not to be heard by the party in question: “you would have been decidedly wrong had you deprived me of so amusing a companion. He is an appendage to the dower of my future wife, and I should have been greatly chagrined not to have made his acquaintance.”
“Monsieur de la Jarry,” said a servant, opening the door.
“A sporting companion?” said Lectoure.