There were four Honourable Misters, whose

Honour was more before their names than after;

There was the preux Chevalier de la Ruse,[689]Whom France and Fortune lately deigned to waft here,

Whose chiefly harmless talent was to amuse;

But the clubs found it rather serious laughter,

Because—such was his magic power to please—

The dice seemed charmed, too, with his repartees.