"Ha! ha! ha!" said Chatran, laughing; "I then am the /diable tout de
bon/! 'tis well I /am no worse/; for we reckon the /roues/ a devilish
deal worse than the very worst of the devils,--but see, the Regent
approaches us."

And, leaving a very pretty and gay-looking lady, the Regent sauntered
towards us. It was in walking, by the by, that he lost all the grace of
his mien. I don't know, however, that one wishes a great man to be
graceful, so long as he's familiar.

"Aha, Monsieur Devereux!" said he, "we will give you some lessons in
cooking to-night; we shall show you how to provide for yourself in that
barbarous country which you are about to visit. /Tout voyageur doit
tout savoir!"

"Avery admirable saying; which leads me to understand that Monseigneur
has been a great traveller," said I.

"Ay, in all things and /all places/; eh, Count?" answered the Regent,
smiling; "but," here he lowered his voice a little, "I have never yet
learned how you came so opportunely to our assistance that night. /Dieu
me damne/! but it reminds me of the old story of the two sisters meeting
at a gallant's house. 'Oh, Sister, how came /you/ here?' said one, in
virtuous amazement. '/Ciel! ma soeur/!' cries the other; 'what brought
/you/?'"*


* The reader will remember a better version of this anecdote in one of
the most popular of the English comedies.--ED.