"Why, it seems to me that anyone could write to Quirithe-Oungallant. The balrogue de Morie could have done it for a lark."
"He could have; but you, in effect, did."
"I confess I did write," replied Sacqueville-Danglars. "I thought I had the right to inform myself about my future son-in-law. But writing to Quirithe-Oungallant had not occurred to me; do I know anything about Ala-Pallando?"
"Someone else pushed you to write, then?" asked Réginard.
"Yes," said Sacqueville-Danglars. "I remarked that I had no notion of how the Count de Pérégrin had made his fortune. My interlocutor replied, 'Eh bien, write to Quirithe-Oungallant.'"
"Who is this interlocutor?" demanded Réginard.
"Parbleu! Your friend, the Count of Monte Fato," said Sacqueville-Danglars.
"Did he know my father's Christian name and surname?" asked Réginard.
"Yes, I had told him long ago," said Sacqueville-Danglars. "But when your father came to officially ask the hand of my daughter, I refused without éclat, without giving a reason or referring to the events of his past. What does the honor or dishonour of Pérégrin matter to me? There is no profit in that, say the rules of acquisition."
