"Oh, my friend, when I was young I always longed to be a missionary to the Indies.... I was born with the love of travel, and I would have given anything to go round the world ... in those days, but not now." "Yes, I understand," says Bougainville, exchanging a glance with his two companions, "to-day it would put you out of your regular habits.... So you have travelled?" "My friend, I have never been further than Versailles." "Then you have not been to the sea." "No." "You have never seen a ship?" "I have seen sails at Auxerre." "That is something, but it can only give you a very imperfect idea of a frigate of sixty guns." "I should think so," added the Abbé Rémy innocently. "So you say you went to the Malouines Isles, where the Government had authorised you to found a settlement. I have no doubt that you did so?" "Unluckily the Spaniards, after the peace of Paris, laid claim to these islands; their claim was considered just by the Court of France, which gave them up on condition they indemnified me for the money I had laid out." "But did they do so?" "Yes, my dear friend, they gave me a million francs!" "A million francs? _Peste!_ what a pretty sum." It will be observed that the good abbé nearly swore. "Now," continued he, "where are you going?..." "I am going to Havre." "What to do? Forgive me, friend, perhaps I am inquisitive." "Inquisitive? Oh, certainly not!... I am going to Havre to see a frigate of which the king has made me captain." "What is its name?..." "_La Boudeuse._" "Is it a very fine ship?" "Superb!" The Abbé Rémy heaved a sigh. It was evident the poor priest thought what pleasure it would have given him in times past, when he had been free, to have seen the sea and to go over a frigate. This sigh led to a fresh interchange of looks and smiles between Bougainville and the two officers. Both smiles and glances passed unnoticed by the worthy Abbé Rémy, who had fallen into so profound a reverie that he did not return to himself until the carriage stopped before a large hotel. "Ah I so we have arrived," he says. "I am very hungry!" "Very well. We will not wait as the dinner was ordered beforehand." "What a delightful life a sea captain's must be!" says the abbé. "He gets millions from the Spaniards; he travels post in a good carriage; and, when he arrives, he finds a dinner all ready for him! Poor Marianne! she has dined without me!" "Bah!" says Bougainville, "once does not mean always. ... We will dine without her, and I hope her absence will not take away your appetite." "Oh, don't be anxious ... I am really very hungry." "Well then, to table! to table!" "To table!" merrily repeated the Abbé Rémy. It was a good dinner; Bougainville was a gourmet; he drank no other wine than champagne; the fashion of icing it had just been invented.