"This second person singular of the present indicative ?" "Well, then; quittest: "Oh, nymph, who quittest now this grot profound, To admire the greatest king of all kings round." "You would not put 'who quittest,' would you ?" "Why not ?" "'Quittest,' after 'you who' ?" "Ah! my dear fellow," exclaimed La Fontaine, "you are a shocking pedant!" "Without counting," said Moliere, "that the second verse, 'king of all kings round,' is very weak, my dear La Fontaine." "Then you see clearly I am nothing but a poor creature,--a shuffler, as you said." "I never said so." "Then, as Loret said." "And it was not Loret either; it was Pelisson." "Well, Pelisson was right a hundred times over.

But what annoys me more than anything, my dear Moliere, is, that I fear we shall not have our Epicurean dresses." "You expected yours, then, for the _fete ?_" "Yes, for the _fete_, and then for after the _fete_.

My housekeeper told me that my own is rather faded." "_Diable!_ your housekeeper is right; rather more than faded." "Ah, you see," resumed La Fontaine, "the fact is, I left it on the floor in my room, and my cat--" "Well, your cat--" "She made her nest upon it, which has rather changed its color." Moliere burst out laughing; Pelisson and Loret followed his example.

At this juncture, the bishop of Vannes appeared, with a roll of plans and parchments under his arm.

As if the angel of death had chilled all gay and sprightly fancies--as if that wan form had scared away the Graces to whom Xenocrates sacrificed--silence immediately reigned through the study, and every one resumed his self-possession and his pen.