“About making a little present to Mdlle. Andrea.”
“A little present—what is it?” cried the baron full of hope and greediness.
“A mere trifle,” said Richelieu, negligently, as he opened the parcel and showed a diamond collar. “A miserable little trinket costing only a few thousand livres, which his Majesty, flattered by having heard his favorite song sung well, wanted the singer to be sued to accept. It is the custom. But let us say no more since your daughter is so easily frightened.”
“But you do not seem to see that a refusal would offend the King.”
“Of course; but does not virtue always tread on the corn of somebody or other?”
“To tell the truth, duke, the girl is not so very lost to reason. I know what she will say or do.”
“The Chinese are a very happy people,” observed Richelieu.
“How so?” asked Taverney, stupefied.
“Because they are allowed to drown girls who are a trouble to their parents and nobody says a word.”
“Come, duke, you ought to be fair,” said Taverney; “suppose you had a daughter.”