“‘Cannot you go up to them and get into conversation?’ I asked.
“Pegon looked at me steadily for a moment, and replied—
“‘You of course my friend. Donnymore, he will jump to see me; but I shall give him the office, and say, it is no business; he is not wanted; and we shall be ver merry. When he is in luck he will spend money like a king; so vill Toko; but Fon Beest he is a screw—no good, no, not to anyone. Come along, mon cher. Baisez moi? Non. It is droll, is it not? Come ’long; let us go to these ruffyans.’
“The Frenchman offered his hand to Donnymore and exclaimed—
“‘Ah, how is Donnymore, my ole friend Donnymore? I always say he ver goot fellow, but he once go leetle to far—just leetle bit too far. But we will not talk ’bout that now. I have come out for what you say spree, one lark, and I am rejoice to see you here; and my friend Fon Beest too, and that dear Toko: Toko, how you do? You not shake hands with your own Pegon? That is right; Fon Beest, your hand: That is right also: Now, Donnymore, you make room for us.’
“Donnymore, slightly reassured, made room for us, and we sat down:
“‘Ah,’ continued the indefatigable Pegon, ‘you have been in luck lately. Champagne, vin de ciel. Give me some, Donnymore; I feel very dry.”
“Donnymore called for some more glasses, and poured out some wine for both of us.
“The more I looked at Toko the more surprised was I at the wonderful likeness between him and Mr. Halliday. No wonder, I thought, that the innkeeper and his barman as well as the prosecutor were deceived.
“The resemblance was something marvellous. I remarked the same mild-looking blue eyes, the same rather broad mouth and thick lips, the same straight nose a little dilated at the nostrils; but there was one thing about Toko which was not observable in Mr. Halliday.