But, by the Lord, you are a bigger demmed fool than ever I took you to be, if you thought it would serve any other purpose save that of my hitting you in the face with it." And with a quick and violent gesture he struck Chauvelin full in the face with the paper.
"You would like to know, Monsieur Chaubertin, would you not ?..." he added pleasantly, "what letter it is that your friend, Citizen Collot, is taking in such hot haste to Paris for you....

Well! the letter is not long and 'tis written in verse....

I wrote it myself upstairs to-day whilst you thought me sodden with brandy and three-parts asleep.

But brandy is easily flung out of the window....

Did you think I drank it all ?...