"As to indiscretion with me, sir, you are jesting, no doubt; come, do not fear to ask me. Whatever it may be, I will do my best to answer it satisfactorily."
"Since our first rencontre, I have racked my brains to discover the motive which induced you to emigrate here."
"Emigrate! Bah, Monsieur; villainous word! To travel, you wish to say, no doubt?"
"To travel, let it be, my young friend; I will not quibble with you on an expression that you have a right to regard as 'villainous.'"
"Why not tell me frankly that you wish to know my history, Monsieur le Duc?"
"Hush; do forget that title!"
"To the devil with it; I shall always forget."
"I hope not, when I shall have informed you that it is of the last importance that this unlucky title should be ignored by everyone in this country."
"That is sufficient; I will not forget myself."
"I thank you; now, if I do not abuse your good nature, relate to me the history I so much want to learn; for at Paris we met one another under circumstances of too trivial a character for me even to inform myself of your antecedents, which I do not know why, now interest me more than I can explain to you."