“I have the honour to represent madame. This kiss I impress upon monsieur’s hand is to be returned.”
The ladies laughed. I advanced gravely and saluted the Marquise.
“I restore it, like a medal blessed of the holy father, sanctified a hundredfold,” I said.
There was a mignonne seated near who was critical of my gallantry.
“But monsieur is enamoured of his own lips,” she said in a little voice.
“Cruel!” I cried. “What should I mean but that I breathed into it all that I have of reverence for beauty? If the citoyenne——”
There was a general cry—“A fine! a fine!”
The hateful word was interdicted under a penalty.
“I pay it!” I said, and stooped and kissed the fair cheek.
Its owner flushed and looked a little vexed, for all the general merriment.