"No; of women."

"What do you mean, Bussy?" cried the duke angrily.

"I mean, monseigneur, that he carries away women for you on his
great black horse, and that as they are ignorant of the honor
reserved for them, he puts his hand on their mouths to prevent
their crying out."

The duke frowned, and ground his teeth with anger, grew pale,
and galloped on so fast, that Bussy and his, companions were
left in the rear.

"Ah! ah! it seems that the joke is a good one," said Antragues.

"And so much the better, that everyone does not seem to find it
a joke," said Bussy.

A moment after, they heard the duke's voice calling Bussy. He
went, and found the duke laughing.

"Oh!" said he, "it appears that what I said was droll."

"I am not laughing at what you said."

"So much the worse; I should have liked to have made a prince
laugh, who hardly ever does so."

"I laugh at your inventing a false story to find out the true
one."