I want to see the
partner in the Grand Company who dare pull down the Golden Dog."
"I dare! and I dare!" exclaimed a dozen voices at once in response
to the appeal of the Intendant, who craftily meant his challenge to
ensnare only Le Gardeur.
"And I dare; and I will, too, if you wish it, Chevalier!" shouted Le
Gardeur, mad with wine, and quite oblivious of the thousand claims
of the father of his friend, Pierre Philibert, upon him.
"I take you at your word, Le Gardeur! and bind your honor to it in
the presence of all these gentlemen," said Bigot with a look of
intense satisfaction.
"When shall it be done--to-day?" Le Gardeur seemed ready to pluck
the moon from the sky in his present state of ecstasy.
"Why, no, not to-day; not before the pear is ripe will we pluck it!
Your word of honor will keep till then?"
Bigot was in great glee over the success of his stratagem to entrap
De Repentigny.
"It will keep a thousand years!" replied Le Gardeur, amid a fresh
outburst of merriment round the board which culminated in a
shameless song, fit only for a revel of satyrs.
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