"Never mind, do me the favor to write them in French; otherwise, if the ladies should ask me for their meaning, it might embarrass me."
"If you absolutely insist upon it——"
"Yes, I insist upon it. What next?"
"Next, monseigneur, a bomb, fired in your courtyard, will announce the fireworks, which will crown that beautiful day by a rain of fire."
"A rain of fire! The deuce! You will take care that it doesn’t rain on the company."
"I will answer for everything, monseigneur; I, myself, shall handle the fireworks, and I am as expert at it as if I had invented powder."
"Well, messieurs, what do you think of this fête?" said Robineau, rubbing his hands in high glee.
"I hope that you will distribute programmes," said Alfred. "But who are to be your guests to-morrow, pray?"
"All the best people of Saint-Amand: nobles, people of great wealth, and men of great merit. You will see, messieurs, that all the agreeable people are not in Paris. And the women too! Dieu! you will see women of all colors!"
"What! do you mean that you expect to have Africans, mulattoes?"