As he finished, Canolles fairly rolled off his chair, shrieking with laughter, and pulling at his moustache in a paroxysm of merriment, in which Richon could not help joining.
"Seriously, my dear Richon," Canolles resumed, "you are conspiring, aren't you?"
Richon continued to laugh, but somewhat less frankly.
"Do you know that I had a great mind to have you and your little gentleman arrested? Corbleu! that would have been amusing, and very easy too. I had the staff-bearers of my good gossip d'Épernon at hand. Ah! Richon to the guard-house and the little gentleman too! landeriri!"
At that moment they heard two horses galloping away from the inn.
"Oho!" said Canolles; "what might that be, Richon? Do you know?"
"I have a shrewd suspicion."
"Tell me, then."
"It's the little gentleman going away."