"Saint John!" said he; "you see how it is. But make haste and let me
out, for I am so exhausted that I can stand it no longer."

"That may well be," said she, "but you will not come out till you have
promised to pay me the wager you lost, and also pardon me, or otherwise
I will not let you out."

"Make haste, for God's sake! I will pay you--really."

"And you promise?"

"Yes--on my oath!"

This arrangement being concluded, Madam opened the chest, and Monsieur
came out, tired, cramped, and exhausted.

She took him by the arm, and kissed him, and embraced him as gently as
could be, praying to God that he would not be angry.

The poor blockhead said that he was not angry with her, because she knew
nothing about it, but that he would certainly punish her women.

"By my oath, sir," said she, "they are well revenged upon you--for I
expect you have done something to them."

"Not I certainly, that I know of--but at any rate the trick they have
played me will cost them dear."

He had hardly finished this speech, when all the women came into the
room, and laughed so loudly and so heartily that they could not say a
word for a long time; and Monsieur, who was going to do such wonders,
when he saw them laugh to such a degree, had not the heart to interfere
with them. Madame, to keep him company, did not fail to laugh also.
There was a marvellous amount of laughing, and he who had the least
cause to laugh, laughed one of the loudest.

After a certain time, this amusement ceased, and Monsieur said;

"Mesdames, I thank you much for the kindness you have done me."

"You are quite welcome, sir," said one of the women, "and still we are
not quits. You have given us so much trouble, and caused as so much
mischief, that we owed you a grudge, and if we have any regret it is
that you did not remain in the box longer. And, in fact, if it had not
been for Madame you would still be there;--so you may take it how you
will!"

"Is that so?" said he. "Well, well, you shall see how I will take it.
By my oath I am well treated, when, after all I have suffered, I am only
laughed, at, and what is still worse, must pay for the satin for the
petticoat. Really, I ought to have the shirts that were bet, as a
compensation for what I have suffered."

"By Heaven, he is right," said the women. "We are on your side as to
that, and you shall have them. Shall he not have them, Madame?"

"On what grounds?" said she. "He lost the wager."

"Oh, y