"'Tell me, I beg you!' exclaimed Monsieur de Montgommery.
"'My dear Count,' resumed Monsieur de Langeais, 'we are going to tell you, because it pains us deeply to see a brave and courteous gentleman like yourself so deceived; but if we do tell you, it is only on condition that you accept the revelation philosophically,—that is to say, with a laugh,—for the whole matter is not worth your anger, I assure you; and then, too, any outburst of wrath would be disarmed beforehand.'
"'We shall see! I am waiting,' replied Monseigneur, coldly.
"'Dear Count,'—Monsieur de Boutières it was who spoke now, the youngest and most heedless of the three,—'you are acquainted with mythology, are you not? No doubt you know the story of Endymion? But what do you think was Endymion's age at the time of his liaison with Diane Phœbé? If you imagine that he was in the neighborhood of forty, you are mistaken, my dear fellow, for he was less than twenty, and hadn't a sign of a beard even. I know that from my governor, who has the whole story at his tongue's end. And that is how it happens that Endymion on this particular evening is not at the Louvre; and that Dame Luna is in bed and not to be seen, probably on account of the storm; and lastly, that you are at home, Monsieur de Montgommery,—whence it follows that my governor is a great man, and that we have won our three bets. Vive la joie!'
"'Your proofs?' asked the count, coldly.
"'Proofs!' replied Monsieur de Langeais, 'why, you can go and seek those for yourself. Don't you live within two steps of La Luna?'
"'Very true. Thanks!' was the count's only reply.
"He rose from his chair; and the three friends had to rise too, chilled and rather alarmed by Monsieur de Montgommery's stern and forbidding demeanor.
"'Come, come, Count,' said Monsieur de Sancerre, 'don't go and do anything foolish or imprudent! And remember that it is as dangerous to rub against the lion's whelp as against the lion himself.'
"'Don't be alarmed,' replied the count.