"It will be no less flattering than agreeable to me to have the privilege of playing with you. But I think that three-handed bézique is less interesting than two-handed."
"I beg your pardon; it is even more interesting."
Adolphine took her place at the piano, and the count seated himself beside it, darting burning glances at the girl, which she did her utmost to avoid.
Batonnin, who had taken a seat at the card-table, kept turning his head to look toward the piano, in order to see what was going on there, and to try to hear what was being said.
"Shall we play with four packs?"
"Yes; but we must take out two eights, so that the cards will come out even at the end."
"Very good; and how many cards do you deal?"
"Eight to each."
"Some people deal nine."
"That makes it too easy."