"You do well to laugh; I was hardly in her box when who do you think she asked me to introduce to her,—guess?"
"How should I know?"
"Guess. It is the strangest thing, it is unheard of, inconceivable, prodigious!"
"It is unheard of, inconceivable!" repeated M. du Pluvier, imitating De Cernay.
"It was not you, Du Pluvier," said the count, "you need not be uneasy; guess again." Speaking to me then, he said, "Come, try and find out."
"I do not know."
"Ismaël."
"Ismaël!"
"The very same."
"Oh, what a good story!" cried out Du Pluvier, "what a good story to tell!"