"He found the president and me not far from the place where we are now. 'You have come at last, chevalier,' I called out to him at a distance; 'but for the president, whom I met by chance, I should have died of fear.' 'I told you so, marquise,' he replied. 'And the osprey, I think I must have frightened him off, for I haven't heard him since I met the marquise,' replied the president. 'But, by the way, my dear chevalier,' added poor Lunel, innocently, 'do you know that the cry of the osprey always indicates some calamity?' and as he spoke the president slyly squeezed my left arm. 'Yes, my dear president, I have always heard that the cry is prophetic of evil,' responded the chevalier, squeezing my right arm. Afterward, when I went crazy over that actor, Clairville, he and I had many a good laugh over this little affair with the president and the chevalier, so for a long time 'It is the osprey' was a sort of proverb among the people of our set." "Alas! those were fine times, madame." "Oh, hush up, Zerbinette, with your alases! Those good times will come again." "But when, madame?" "Why, in the next world, of course. That was what I used to nearly wear myself out telling Abbé Robertin, who used to go nearly crazy over those delicious white truffles my cousin Doria used to send me. 'Well, madame la marquise, it is surely better to believe in that sort of an immortality than in nothing at all,' he used to reply, while he went on cramming himself. In other words, my girl, I expect to get my girlhood again, and all that goes with it, when I reach paradise." "God grant it, madame," responded Zerbinette, devoutly. "Sixteen is certainly a delightful age." "That is exactly what I said to myself yesterday while I was watching my grandson. What ardour and enthusiasm he displayed during the hunt! He's a handsome--But look, here is Grand Sire's Rock. It was in that little cave that the poor president played the part of an osprey." "Don't go any closer to it, for Heaven's sake, madame. There may be some wild beast in it." "I thought of going in to rest awhile." "Don't think of such a thing, madame. It must be as damp as a cellar in there." "That's a fact, so set my chair under this oak-tree, there on the sunny side. That is right. Where will you find a seat, Zerbinette?" "Over there on that rock. It is a little closer to the cave than I like, but never mind." "We were speaking of my grandson just now. He is a handsome fellow, there is no doubt about it." "There is a certain viscountess who seems to be of the same opinion. It is always M. Raoul this, or M. Raoul that, and I have seen--"