"Good-evening," said Barboux, black-bearded, fat and bald-headed. He pronounced "evening" as though it were a French word, and it came out "événandje."
Barboux offered Humphrey a cigarette he had just rolled with black tobacco, and asked him most intimate questions of his doings in Paris, so that Humphrey had either to acknowledge himself a prude or a Parisian.
"All the same," said Barboux, "Paris is a wonderful city, hein?"
"It is," said Humphrey.
Barboux continued: "Is it not the most beautiful, the most wonderful, the most entrancing city in the world, young Englishman?"
"All except London," replied Humphrey.
"Rosbif—Goddam—I box your nose," laughed Barboux.
It was a set form of dialogue that took place every night between them, without variation, a joke invented by Barboux.
A man in an apron—a French version of the type in The Day's printing-office—brought in a budget of proofs.