speaker.

"I said in the Levant, from which I have just returned," continued
Georges, "the dust smells very good; but here it smells of nothing,
except in some old dust-barrel like this."

"Has monsieur lately returned from the Levant?" said Mistigris,
maliciously. "He isn't much tanned by the sun."

"Oh! I've just left my bed after an illness of three months, from the
germ, so the doctors said, of suppressed plague."

"Have you had the plague?" cried the count, with a gesture of alarm.
"Pierrotin, stop!"

"Go on, Pierrotin," said Mistigris. "Didn't you hear him say it was
inward, his plague?" added the rapin, talking back to Monsieur de
Serizy. "It isn't catching; it only comes out in conversation."

"Mistigris! if you interfere again I'll have you put off into the
road," said his master. "And so," he added, turning to Georges,
"monsieur has been to the East?"

"Yes, monsieur; first to Egypt, then to Greece, where I served under
Ali, pacha of Janina, with whom I had a terrible quarrel. There's no
enduring those climates long; besides, the emotions of all kinds in
Oriental life have disorganized my liver."

"What, have you served as a soldier?" asked the fat farmer. "How old
are you?"