“What! it is all over, Jasmin? Ah! the poor marchioness! But go on, you villain! what is it?”
“It is something magnificent, monsieur, you will be well pleased!”
“But the sex, you rascal, the sex; hasn’t the child any sex?”
“Oh! yes, indeed! a superb sex! we have been delivered of a boy, my dear master.”
“A boy, Jasmin? a boy! Oh! what happiness! but I said so; I was sure of it; I would have bet on it; don’t I always know what I am doing?”
“You are very clever, monsieur le marquis.”
“A boy—I have a son—I have an heir to my name! Jasmin, I will give you a present of ten crowns for bringing me this good news.”
“Thanks, my dear master. Vive les Grandvilains!”
“I have a boy—such pleasure—such—Ah! I can’t stand it any longer. Jasmin, pass me my phial of salts—no, give me a small glass of madeira; I feel as if my heart were stopping.”
“Come, come, monsieur le marquis, pull yourself together,” said Jasmin, as he handed a glass of madeira to his master. “This is not the time to be ill.”