"The boy handles his knife and fork very cleverly," said the duke. "But you do not eat, Nanon." "I am no longer hungry, monseigneur." "Dear sister!" cried Cauvignac; "to think that the pleasure of seeing me has taken away her appetite! Indeed, I can but be grateful to her for loving me so dearly." "This chicken-wing, Nanon?" said the duke. "Give it to my brother, monseigneur; give it to my brother," replied Nanon, who saw Cauvignac emptying his plate with terrifying rapidity, and dreaded his raillery after the food had disappeared. Cauvignac held out his plate with a grateful smile. The duke placed the wing upon the plate, and Cauvignac replaced the plate on the table before him. "Well, what have you been doing that's worth the telling, Canolles?" said the duke, with a familiarity which seemed to Cauvignac of most hopeful augury. "It is understood that I am not speaking of love-affairs." "Nay; do speak of them, monseigneur; speak of them," rejoined the younger man, whose tongue was beginning to be unloosed by successive doses of Médoc and Chambertin, and who, moreover, was in a very different situation from those people who borrow a name themselves, in that he had no fear of being interfered with by his double. "Oh, monseigneur, he's very skilful at raillery," said Nanon. "In that case, we can place him in the same category with the little gentleman," the duke suggested. "Yes," said Nanon, "the little gentleman you met last evening." "Ah! yes, in the road," said Cauvignac. "And afterwards at Master Biscarros' hôtel," the duke added. "And afterwards at Master Biscarros' hôtel," assented Cauvignac; "it's true, by my faith." "Do you mean that you really did meet him?" queried Nanon. "The little gentleman?" "Yes." "What sort of person was he? Tell us frankly," said the duke. "Egad!" replied Cauvignac; "he was a charming little fellow,--fair and slender and refined, and travelling with a caricature of a squire." "It's the same man," said Nanon, biting her lips. "And you are in love with him?" "With whom?" "With this same little, fair, slender, refined gentleman." "Oh, monseigneur!" exclaimed Cauvignac, "what do you mean?" "Have you still the pearl-gray glove on your heart?" "The pearl-gray glove?" "Yes; the one you were smelling and kissing so passionately last evening." This last phrase removed Cauvignac's perplexity. "Ah!" he cried, "your little gentleman was a woman, was she? On my word of honor, I suspected as much." "There can be no doubt now," murmured Nanon. "Give me some wine, sister mine," said Cauvignac. "I can't imagine who emptied the bottle that stands beside me, but there's nothing in it." "Go to!" exclaimed the duke; "his complaint can be cured, as his love doesn't interfere with his eating or drinking; and the king's business will not suffer." "The king's business suffer!" cried Cauvignac. "Never! The king's business first of all! the king's business, is sacred. To his Majesty's health, monseigneur."