Gas. Adod! a very masterpiece of the military art? Why this Turenne must be a famous captain. I’ll drink his health, (drinks) Odso! where did we leave the enemy? Oh! the Bavarians were just driven across the Neckar, and had destroyed the bridge. Well, and then what did our troops?
L’Ecl. They clashed after them thro’ the river like a pack of otters.
Gasp. Hold; you said just now the river wasn’t fordable.
L’Ecl. Did I? Pshaw, I only meant, it wasn’t fordable to the enemy: no, poor devils! they couldn’t ford it certainly; but as to our hussars: whew! such fellows as they would get thro’ any thing, were it ever so deep to the bottom. (takes the flask from Gaspard and drinks).
Gasp. O! the rare hussars! Now this is a conversation just to my heart’s content. I dearly love to hear of battles and sieges. The household are all retired to rest, and my room is private; so here we may sit peaceably, and talk about war for the remainder of the night.
L’Ec. Bravo! agreed: we’ll make a night of it; but harkye, is not this room of yours built in a queer sort of a circular shape?
Gasp. No; a most perfect square.
L’Ec. Well, I never studied mathematics; but, for a perfect square, methinks it has the oddest trick of turning round with its company I ever witnessed.
Enter Rosabelle.
Ros. Here’s a display of profligacy! So, gentlemen, are these your morals? Methinks you place a special example before the household; drinking and carousing thus after midnight, when all decent persons ought to be at rest within their beds.