"No, indeed; and I should be very sorry to know. I had enough trouble to rid myself of the little one's importunities.--Give me a cigarette, Lépinette." And the viscount, with a testy exclamation, threw on the floor the cigarette he had in his mouth, which he had smoked only a few seconds. Since the mention of the young woman named Suzanne, his brow had clouded, and his face had assumed an ill-humored expression. But young Lamberlong brought back a smile to his lips by exclaiming: "Oh! mon Dieu! I have entirely forgotten what they give at the Bouffes to-morrow. Can you tell me, messieurs?" "Oh! give us a moment's peace with your Bouffes, Lamberlong!--Can you understand, messieurs, how a man can attend every blessed performance at the Italiens, when he doesn't know a word of that language?" "Who told you that I don't know a word of Italian? It's false; I understand it quite well." "You understand it, but you don't comprehend it."[H] "You say you understand it; very well! answer this: _Pone nos recede_." The young man with red hair scratched his head, looked at the ceiling, and muttered: "I never heard those words at the Bouffes." Thereupon the dandy laughed heartily, and Florville exclaimed: "Didn't you know that Dumarsey was talking Latin to you?" "Latin! How do you suppose I could understand him, then? What do I know about Latin--a dead language! They don't sing in Latin at the Bouffes." "Monsieur le vicomte's horse is saddled," said a little groom, putting his nose in at the door. "All right!--Let us go, messieurs.--By the way, Lépinette, have you filled my pockets with cigarettes?" "Yes, monsieur, I have put some everywhere, even in your fob." "That's right.--To horse, messieurs!" XX THE THIRD PETTICOAT Two days after this riding party, Edward de Sommerston was in his smoking room, stretched out on a divan, smoking and intensely bored, as usual, and watching the puffs of smoke ascend and float about the room until they formed a fog so dense that one could hardly see from one side to the other. Suddenly the door was softly opened; Lépinette appeared, and, trying to distinguish his master through the clouds that filled the room, said in an undertone: "Is monsieur le vicomte asleep?" "What! No, I'm not asleep! I wish I were, but smoking never puts me to sleep! What do you want of me?" "I came to tell monsieur that I have just made a find." "A find! Have you found a treasure? So much the better for you; keep it!" "Oh! monsieur, it isn't a treasure in money; it's something of another sort, which will be much more to monsieur's taste." The viscount half rose, saying: "What in the deuce is it?" "It's a woman, monsieur; or rather, an enchanting girl!" The viscount fell back on the couch, muttering: "And you came here and disturbed me for that, did you? That's what you call a treasure!"