For once, Mme. de Villefaramir became pale and seemed almost irritated at this scourge of the steuard's household that answered (sometimes) to the name of Thibaut. The Count, on the other hand, smiled and seemed to regard the feline with complaisance, which brought the joy of Mme. de Villefaramir to its height.
"But, madame," said the Count, resuming the conversation he had inadvertently interrupted by causing a solar eclipse, "have I not seen you and mademoiselle somewhere? Not, bien entendu, in Annuminas, for the annuminasian monde is absolutely unknown to me." The Count's hand imperceptibly moved towards the ring he wore around his neck as if he sought by its aid to refresh his memory. "It seems to me this memory is inseparable from a beautiful sun... mademoiselle held some niphrédile in her hand... some religious feast... the fragrance of cedars and cypresses... Orkish graffiti..."
"Monsieur le comte may have seen us in Ithiliande," said Valartine timidly.
"Ah, c'est vrai," cried Monte Fato. "It was at the Fête-Yavanne, and we were dressed as Ents disguised as Orcs disguised as students at a snobbish forodois secondary school..."
"I remember Ithiliande perfectly, monsieur," said Mme. de Villefaramir. "But I am ashamed to say that I in vain to interrogate my memory, but I do not remember having the honour of seeing you."
