"Very good! You are certainly the best fellow in the world!"
Here it must be mentioned that Esperance never drank wine. The table was supplied with several kinds, but, like his father, Esperance never touched them.
Goutran poured some sherry into the glass of his friend.
"I have come," he said, "to make a confession and ask a loan."
He tossed off a glass of wine as he spoke. Esperance mechanically drank also.
"This is my confession: I, Goutran, a painter, propose to give a soirée to-morrow night."
"You!"
"Yes, neither more nor less, and I intend to add to this soirée a ball."
"In your atélier?"
"Why not? It is not as large as the Square, to be sure, but it will be a success."