“my friend?”
“From Paris — from Percerin.”
“And what have you been doing at Percerin’s, for I suppose you attach no great importance to our poets’ dresses?”
“No; I went to prepare a surprise.”
“Surprise?”
“Yes; which you are going to give to the king.”
“And will it cost much?”
“Oh!
a hundred pistoles you will give Lebrun.”
“A painting? — Ah! all the better! And what is this painting to represent?”