"Some other day we shall talk politics--I suppose you talk politics, occasionally?" "Monsieur, I do not indulge myself so far. You understand, a merchant--" "Oh, my dear Monsieur Lebrenn! You are a man of the good old pattern; that's what you are; I'm glad of it! Right you are not to meddle in politics! It is the silly mania that spoiled everything. In those good old times, that I was speaking about to you, nobody grumbled. The King, the clergy and the nobility ordered--and everybody obeyed without saying a word." "Sure! Sure! It must have been very convenient, monsieur." "Zounds! I should say so!" "If I understand you rightly, monsieur, the King, the priests and the seigneurs said: 'Do that!'--and it was done?" "Just so!" "Pay!--and people paid?" "Exactly." "Go!--and people went?" "Why! Yes! Yes!" "In short, everything as on the parade ground--to the right!--to the left!--forward!--double quick! People did not even have the trouble to will this or that? The King, the seigneurs and the clergy took to themselves the trouble of willing for us? And they have changed that! They have changed all that!!!" "Fortunately we need not despair, my dear Monsieur Lebrenn." "May the good God hear you!" said the merchant, rising and bowing respectfully to the Count. "Monsieur, to command." "So, then, next Sunday--at the tournament. You will come, my good fellow--you--your family--agreed?" "Certainly, monsieur, certainly. My daughter will not fail to attend the festivity--seeing she is to be the queen of--of?" "Queen of Beauty, my dear fellow! It is not I who assign the role to her--it is Nature!" "Oh, monsieur, if you would only allow me--" "What?" "To repeat in your name to my daughter the gallantries that you have uttered about her." "Why, my dear fellow, not only do I authorize you to do so, but I request you. Moreover, without further ceremony, I shall myself carry to Madam Lebrenn and her charming daughter the invitation that I extend to them." "Oh, monsieur--the poor women--they will feel so flattered by your good will towards us. I shall say nothing about myself; if I were to receive the Cross of Honor I could not feel prouder." "You are a first class fellow, my dear Lebrenn!" "Your servant, monsieur, your servant with all my heart," repeated the merchant, moving away. The moment, however, that the linendraper reached the door, he seemed to change his mind, scratched himself behind the ear, and returned to the Count of Plouernel. "Well, my dear fellow?" asked the Count, rather astonished at his return. "What is the matter?" "The matter is," said the merchant, continuing to scratch the back of his ear, "meseems a thought strikes me--I beg your pardon for the great liberty--" "Zounds! Speak up! Why should you not have an idea--as well as anybody else?" "That's true, monsieur, it sometimes happens that the common people, like the noble folks, do not _desiderate_--ideas."