The conversation, which was in German, grew louder every hour.
Suddenly the host called for the attention of the company, and opening a pitch-covered bottle, exclaimed loudly in Russian:
"The health of my good Louisa!"
The imitation champagne frothed. The host kissed tenderly the fresh face of his forty-year old spouse and the guests drank vociferously the health of good Louisa.
"The health of my dear guests!" cried the host opening the second bottle. The guests thanked him and emptied their glasses. Then one toast followed another. The health of each guest was proposed separately; then the health of Moscow and of about a dozen German towns. They drank the health of the guilds in general, and afterwards of each one separately; The health of the foremen and of the workmen. Adrian drank with a will and became so lively, that he himself proposed some jocular toast.
Suddenly one of the guests, a stout baker, raised his glass and exclaimed:
"The health of our customers!"
This toast like all the others was drunk joyfully and unanimously. The guests nodded to each other; the tailor to the bootmaker, the bootmaker to the tailor; the baker to them both and all to the baker.
Yurko in the midst of this bowing called out as he turned towards his neighbour: