I would take my oath of it." "But--" said Moliere.
"I tell you all this," continued La Fontaine, "because you are preparing a _divertissement_ for Vaux, are you not ?" "Yes, the 'Facheux.'" "Ah, yes, the 'Facheux;' yes, I recollect.

Well, I was thinking a prologue would admirably suit your _divertissement_." "Doubtless it would suit capitally." "Ah! you are of my opinion ?" "So much so, that I have asked you to write this very prologue." "You asked _me_ to write it ?" "Yes, you, and on your refusal begged you to ask Pelisson, who is engaged upon it at this moment." "Ah! that is what Pelisson is doing, then?
I'faith, my dear Moliere, you are indeed often right." "When ?" "When you call me absent-minded.

It is a monstrous defect; I will cure myself of it, and do your prologue for you." "But inasmuch as Pelisson is about it!--" "Ah, true, miserable rascal that I am! Loret was indeed right in saying I was a poor creature." "It was not Loret who said so, my friend." "Well, then, whoever said so, 'tis the same to me! And so your _divertissement_ is called the 'Facheux ?' Well, can you make _heureux_ rhyme with _facheux ?_" "If obliged, yes." "And even with _capriceux_." "Oh, no, no." "It would be hazardous, and yet why so ?" "There is too great a difference in the cadences." "I was fancying," said La Fontaine, leaving Moliere for Loret--"I was fancying--" "What were you fancying ?" said Loret, in the middle of a sentence.

"Make haste." "You are writing the prologue to the 'Facheux,' are you not ?" "No! _mordieu!_ it is Pelisson." "Ah, Pelisson," cried La Fontaine, going over to him, "I was fancying," he continued, "that the nymph of Vaux--" "Ah, beautiful!" cried Loret.

"The nymph of Vaux! thank you, La Fontaine; you have just given me the two concluding verses of my paper." "Well, if you can rhyme so well, La Fontaine," said Pelisson, "tell me now in what way you would begin my prologue ?" "I should say, for instance, 'Oh! nymph, who--' After 'who' I should place a verb in the second person singular of the present indicative; and should go on thus: 'this grot profound.'" "But the verb, the verb ?" asked Pelisson.
"To admire the greatest king of all kings round," continued La Fontaine.
"But the verb, the verb," obstinately insisted Pelisson.