"
"Yes, I have the honour to be the man you seek," the tyrant answered,
bowing very graciously.
"The Comte de Pommereuil greatly desires to have you give one of your
celebrated representations at his chateau, where guests of high rank are
sojourning at this moment, and I have come to ascertain whether it will
be possible for you to do so. The distance is not very considerable,
only a few leagues. The comte, my master, is a very great and
generous seignior, who is prepared to reward your illustrious company
munificently for their trouble, and will do everything in his power to
make them comfortable while they are under his roof."
"I will gladly do all that I can to please your noble master," the
tyrant replied, "though it will be a little difficult for us to leave
Paris at present, just in the height of the season; even if it be only
for a short absence."
"Three days would suffice for this expedition," said the venerable
major-domo persuasively; "one for the journey, the second for the
representation, and the third for the return to Paris. There is a
capital theatre at the chateau, furnished with everything that is
requisite, so that you need not be encumbered with much luggage--nothing
beyond your costumes. Here is a purse containing a hundred pistoles that
the Comte de Pommereuil charged me to put into your hands, to defray
the expenses of the journey.
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