Ten Years Later: The Man in The Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas Chapter 6 Page 19

“Diable! your housekeeper is right; rather more than faded.”

“Ah, you see,” resumed La Fontaine, “the fact is, I left it on the floor in my room, and my cat — ”

“Well, your cat — ”

“She made her nest upon it, which has rather changed its color.”

Moliere burst out laughing; Pelisson and Loret followed his example. At this juncture, the bishop of Vannes appeared, with a roll of plans and parchments under his arm.

As if the angel of death had chilled all gay and sprightly fancies — as if that wan form had scared away the Graces to whom Xenocrates sacrificed — silence immediately reigned through the study, and every one resumed his self-possession and his pen. Aramis distributed the notes of invitation, and thanked them in the name of M. Fouquet.