"Well, monsieur le comte, a dear old cousin of mine, who was very fond of me in spite of my escapades, made me a present of a liquid, by the aid of which I was always on my feet in a very short time, even after the most severe wound." "The deuce you say!" "I have used it whenever I have been wounded, and it has never failed me yet." "What is it made of?" "I have no idea; that was my old cousin's secret, and she died without confiding it to me. But it must be very healthful, as it always cured me." "Have you still got any of this liquid?" "I have kept a few half-bottles of it, as a priceless treasure; and here is one of them, which I have taken the liberty of bringing, in the hope that monsieur le comte will have confidence in me." "Faith, why not?" "I shall have the honor to taste it first with monsieur le comte, to make sure that it isn't spoiled." Monsieur de la Beriniere ordered liqueur-glasses to be brought. Cherami filled them with the superfine chartreuse, and swallowed a glass himself. "That's good, very good!" said the count, after drinking his glass. "But it seems to me that it has just the same taste as chartreuse." "It is true, monsieur le comte, that there is a little similarity while you are drinking it; but afterward the bouquet, the taste, is not the same at all." "Possibly not. I never drank much chartreuse; I take liqueur very rarely." "Then this will have all the more effect. It is a decoction of simples, of strengthening herbs, I fancy. My old cousin used often to go botanizing." "It smells of liverwort too." "It does, and that is very strengthening." "It feels very warm in the chest. I seem already to feel stronger, more lively." "It works very quickly." "How much must I drink to be entirely cured?" "Why, you must take this half-bottle." "In how long a time?" "In three days." "Drink all that in three days!" "Oh! this bottle doesn't hold much. Drink four small glasses to-day; to-morrow, five; the day after to-morrow, six or seven; and that will take it all. But don't mention my old cousin's remedy to your doctor. He would be sure to sneer at it; doctors are never willing that you should be cured with things that they don't prescribe." "I know that. But, upon my word, I do feel much better." "Take a second glass at once, and the others after dinner." "Well, I will submit to your prescription. Yes, it has a very different taste from chartreuse; it's sweeter." "The more you drink of it, the better you will like it." "It is delicious; your old cousin left you something of great value." "She passed all her time compounding remedies. This will give you an appetite too. You can eat a lot, and everything; it would digest a stone." "Enchanting! On my word of honor! I feel my legs twitching. It seems to me that I could dance." "The day after to-morrow, you will be in a condition to dance. Permit me to return a few days hence, monsieur le comte, to inquire for your health?"