Ga.s.se.

It is the style-- This orange with blue ribbons.

[_Folding his arms and curling his mustache._

You must know That Blois is forty miles from Paris!

BRICHANTEAU.

Yes, It"s China!

Ga.s.se.

That makes womankind rebel: To follow us they must exile themselves.

BOUCHAVANNES (_turning from the game_).

You come from Paris?

ROCHEBARON (_taking out his pipe_).

Is there any news?

Ga.s.se (_bowing_).

No, nothing. Corneille still upsets all heads.

Guiche has obtained the order; Ast is duke.

Of trifles, plenty--thirty Huguenots Were hung; a quant.i.ty of duels. On The third, D"Angennes fought Arquien on account Of wearing point of Genoa; the tenth, Lavardie had a rendezvous with Pons, Because he"d taken Sourdis" wife from him.

Sourdis and D"Ailly met about a creature In the theater Mondori. On the ninth, Lachatre fought with Nogent because he wrote Three rhymes of Colletet"s badly; Margaillan With Gorde, about the time of day; D"Humiere With Gondi on the way to walk in church; And all the Brissacs "gainst all the Soubises For some bet on a horse against a dog.

Then Caussade and Latournelle fought for nothing-- Merely for fun: Caussade killed Latournelle.

BRICHANTEAU.

Gay Paris! Duels have begun again.

Ga.s.se.

It is the fashion!

BRICHANTEAU.

Feasts and love and fighting!

There is the only place to live!

[_Yawning._] All one Can do here is to die of weariness.

[_To Ga.s.se._] You say Caussade killed Latournelle?

Ga.s.se.

He did, With a good gash! [_Examining Rochebaron"s sleeves._ What"s that you wear, my friend?

Those tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs are not fashionable now.

What! cords and b.u.t.tons? Nothing could be worse.

You must have bows and ribbons.

BRICHANTEAU.

Pray repeat The list of duels. How about the King?

What does he say?

Ga.s.se.

The Cardinal"s enraged And means to stop it.

BOUCHAVANNES.

Any news from camp?

Ga.s.se.

I think we captured Figuere by surprise-- Or else we lost it.

[_Reflecting._] Yes, that"s it. "Tis lost!

They took it from us.

ROCHEBARON.

Ah! What said the King?

Ga.s.se.

The Cardinal is most dissatisfied.

BRICHANTEAU.

How is the Court? I hope the King is well.

Ga.s.se.

Alas! the Cardinal has fever and The gout, and goes out only in a litter.

BRICHANTEAU.

Queer! We talk King, you answer Cardinal!

Ga.s.se.

It is the fashion!

BOUCHAVANNES.

So there"s nothing new!