Foratimethisdidnotsuggestanythingtome。Butwhenwehadalltakenourseatsforsupper，therecameanadditiontotheparty。Thedooropened，andthefellowwhomIhadseenthenightbeforewithMadamedeCocheforetenteredandtookastoolbythefire。IfeltsurethathewasoneoftheservantsattheChateau；andinaflashhispresenceinspiredmewiththemostfeasibleplanforobtainingadmissionwhichIhadyethitupon。
Ifeltmyselfgrowhotatthethought——itseemedsofullofpromise，yetsodoubtful——and，ontheinstant，withoutgivingmyselftimetothinktoomuch，Ibegantocarryitintoeffect。
Icalledfortwoorthreebottlesofbetterwine，and，assumingajovialair，passeditroundthetable。WhenwehaddrunkafewglassesIfelltotalking，and，choosingpolitics，tookthesideoftheLanguedocpartyandthemalcontentsinsorecklessafashionthattheinnkeeperwasbesidehimselfatmyimprudence。
Themerchants，whobelongedtotheclasswithwhomtheCardinalwasalwaysmostpopular，lookedfirstastonishedandthenenraged。ButIwasnottobechecked；hintsandsourlookswerelostuponme。Igrewmoreoutspokenwitheveryglass，IdranktotheRochellois，Isworeitwouldnotbelongbeforetheyraisedtheirheadsagain；and，atlast，whiletheinnkeeperandhiswifewereengagedlightingthelamp，Ipassedroundthebottleandcalledonallforatoast。
\'I\'llgiveyouonetobegin，\'Ibraggednoisily。\'Agentleman\'stoast！Asoutherntoast！HereisconfusiontotheCardinal，andahealthtoallwhohatehim！\'