"No?"
"There would be no forgiveness for that."
"But consider that before the matter is looked into I shall have regained my influence with the king."
"All very fine, my little sister, but how long is your influence to last? A pleasant life for us if at every change of favour we have to fly the country! No, no, Francoise; the most that we can do is to detain the messengers."
"Where can you detain them?"
"I have an idea. There is the castle of the Marquis de Montespan at Portillac."
"Of my husband!"
"Precisely."
"Of my most bitter enemy! Oh, Charles, you are not serious."
"On the contrary, I was never more so. The marquis was away in Paris yesterday, and has not yet returned. Where is the ring with his arms?"