"You were going out riding," exclaimed the Count. "Do not let me detainyou. But, unless you have other plans, I beg you will come to dinnerto-day at the Villa Planat. My nephew, the Comte de Fontaine, is a manit is essential that you should know. Ah, ha! And I propose to make upto you for my clumsiness by introducing you to five of the prettiestwomen in Paris. So, so, youthful man, your brow is clearing! I am fond ofyoung people, and I like to look at them happy. Their happiness reminds meof the good times of my youth, when adventures were not lacking, anymore than duels. We occasionally were gay dogs then! Nowadays you skinnyk and worryover everything, as though there had never been a fifteenth and asixteenth century."