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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Maitre Cornelius by Honore de Balzac: listener's foot projected on the floor of his chamber. He opened the
door abruptly, and surprised the Comte de Saint-Vallier eavesdropping.
"Pasques-Dieu!" he cried; "here's an audacity that deserves the axe."
"Sire," replied Saint-Vallier, haughtily, "I would prefer an axe at my
throat to the ornament of marriage on my head."
"You may have both," said Louis XI. "None of you are safe from such
infirmities, messieurs. Go into the farther hall. Conyngham,"
continued the king, addressing the captain of the guard, "you are
asleep! Where is Monsieur de Bridore? Why do you let me be approached
in this way? Pasques-Dieu! the lowest burgher in Tours is better
served than I am."
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