"'First, the baron de Gonesse."

"Who is he?"

"The king himself."

"Well, who next?"

"The duc de Richelieu."

"Who else?"

"The marquis de Chauvelin."

"Well?"

"The duc de la Vauguyon."

"What, the devotee?"

"The hypocrite. But never mind: the main point is, that you must
not appear to recognize the king. Instruct your sister-in-law to
this effect."

"Certainly; if she must sin, she had better do so with some reason."

While these gentlemen were thus disposing of me, what was I
doing? Alone, in my room, I waited the result of their conference
with mortal impatience. The character I had to play was a superb
one, and at the moment was about to enter on the stage, I felt all