"They want some hot water," cried the servant, rushing into the kitchen with a frightened look; "can they be ill at this hour?"
"Give the gentlemen what they want, you little simpleton!" replied Mademoiselle Reine; "they probably want to concoct some of their Paris drinks."
When all the articles necessary for the grog were on the table, Marillac drew up an old armchair, took another chair to stretch his legs upon, replaced his cap with a handkerchief artistically knotted about his head, his boots with a pair of slippers, and, finally, lighted his pipe.
"Now," said he, as he seated himself, "I will listen without moving an eyelid should your story last, like the creation, six days and nights."
Gerfaut took two or three turns about the room with the air of an orator who is seeking for a beginning to a speech.
"You know," said he, "that Fate has more or less influence over our lives, according to the condition of mind in which we happen to be. In order that you may understand the importance of the adventure I am about relating to you, it will be necessary for me to picture the state of mind which I was in at the time it happened; this will he a sort of philosophical and psychological preamble."
"Thunder!" interrupted Marillac, "if I had known that, I would have ordered a second bowl."
"You will remember," continued Gerfaut, paying no attention to this pleasantry, "the rather bad attack of spleen which I had a little over a year ago?"
"Before your trip to Switzerland?"
"Exactly."