"My dear Count—what is the world here for? Why is his Majesty in the next room there? Why do we wait? What is the news?"
"You speak like a catechism, monsieur. How should I know the news?"
"Humph! You are—a de Mailly."
"Confessed! What does it betoken?" asked Claude, smiling.
"These rumors—that la Châteauroux is on her way back to Versailles—are they true?"
"Am I my cousin's keeper?"
"You were."
"But am not."
"Then do you know nothing?" persisted the old fellow, disappointedly.
"Nothing, monsieur."