"I shall be delighted to accept your kind invitation," said Payot, "and I am sure my distinguished friend will be equally honoured by partaking of your hospitality with me, eh, Marcel?"
The latter shook hands with Monsieur Beaupaire, and said that it would give him immense pleasure.
Payot became so engrossed in listening to his friend Marcel's lively and amusing conversation, that he soon recovered his gaiety, and actually indulged in a joke.
"Ah! M. Payot," said Marcel, who had been listening to the account of Payot's misfortunes, "it does one good to meet a man who can be cheerful after having lost everything. There is nothing like a little sympathy for cheering a man up. Sympathy is the sum of all the virtues."
"You are a man after my own heart, sir," said Beaupaire, patting Marcel on the back, "you have made our friend Payot's face look quite cheerful."
"That's right," said Marcel to Payot, "God loveth the cheerful loser. Yes," he added, putting his hand on Payot's shoulder and looking up into his face,
"Smile
Awhile,
And while you smile
Others smile,
And soon there's miles and miles
Of smiles,
And life's worth while
Because you smile."
Payot's face lit up and he actually beamed with inward hope, as the world suddenly seemed to him to grow brighter and more beautiful. "Where did you get that from, Marcel?" said Payot, smiling.
"You don't suppose I am going to give away the source of all my jokes to you?"