What a mind that devil of a Moliere has!" said La Fontaine.

Then, striking his forehead, "Oh, thou wilt never be aught but an ass, Jean La Fontaine!" he added.
"_What_ are you saying there, my friend ?" broke in Moliere, approaching the poet, whose aside he had heard.
"I say I shall never be aught but an ass," answered La Fontaine, with a heavy sigh and swimming eyes.

"Yes, my friend," he added, with increasing grief, "it seems that I rhyme in a slovenly manner." "Oh, 'tis wrong to say so." "Nay, I am a poor creature!" "Who said so ?" "_Parbleu!_ 'twas Pelisson; did you not, Pelisson ?" Pelisson, again absorbed in his work, took good care not to answer.
"But if Pelisson said you were so," cried Moliere, "Pelisson has seriously offended you." "Do you think so ?" "Ah! I advise you, as you are a gentleman, not to leave an insult like that unpunished." "_What!_" exclaimed La Fontaine.
"Did you ever fight ?" "Once only, with a lieutenant in the light horse." "What wrong had he done you ?" "It seems he ran away with my wife." "Ah, ah!" said Moliere, becoming slightly pale; but as, at La Fontaine's declaration, the others had turned round, Moliere kept upon his lips the rallying smile which had so nearly died away, and continuing to make La Fontaine speak-- "And what was the result of the duel ?" "The result was, that on the ground my opponent disarmed me, and then made an apology, promising never again to set foot in my house." "And you considered yourself satisfied ?" said Moliere.
"Not at all! on the contrary, I picked up my sword.

'I beg your pardon, monsieur,' I said, 'I have not fought you because you were my wife's friend, but because I was told I ought to fight.

So, as I have never known any peace save since you made her acquaintance, do me the pleasure to continue your visits as heretofore, or _morbleu!_ let us set to again.' And so," continued La Fontaine, "he was compelled to resume his friendship with madame, and I continue to be the happiest of husbands." All burst out laughing.