"I smiled with satisfaction.
"'So Your Majesty knows already....'
"'I know, I know vaguely.'
"'Do you know Gramont-Caderousse's last "mot"?'
"'No, but you are going to tell it to me.'
"'Here goes, then. We were five or six: myself, Viel-Castel, Gramont, Persigny....'
"
'Persigny!' said the Emperor. 'He has no right to associate with Gramont, after all that Paris says about his wife.'
"'Just so Sire. Well, Persigny was excited, no doubt about it. He began telling us how troubled he was because of the Duchess's conduct.'
"'This Fialin isn't over tactful,' muttered the Emperor.