Mesmin, fighting with the same
fury as in the morning, contrived to inflict on his opponent.
For some weeks after this I saw little of the young firebrand,
though from time to time he attended my receptions and invariably
behaved to me with a modesty which proved that he placed some
bounds to his presumption. I heard, moreover, that M. de
Saintonge, in acknowledgment of the triumph over the St. Germains
which he had afforded him, had taken him up; and that the
connection between the families being publicly avowed, the two
were much together.
Judge of my surprise, therefore, when one day a little before
Christmas, M. de Saintonge sought me at the Arsenal during the
preparation of the plays and interludes--which were held there
that year--and, drawing me aside into the garden, broke into a
furious tirade against the young fellow.
"But," I said, in immense astonishment, "what is this? I thought
that he was a young man quite to your mind; and--"
"He is mad!" he answered.
"Mad?" I said.
"Yes, mad!" he repeated, striking the ground violently with his
cane.
Pages:
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127