"It's all over! O Fanny! Fanny! you will belong to another! Ah! I shall die of my grief!"
"Sapristi!" said Cherami to himself, swallowing several glasses of punch in rapid succession; "this youngster is very lachrymose; he isn't lively in his cups. With me, it's different; I feel in the mood to dance at all the wedding parties, and to play cards too—only I shall have to borrow a few napoleons from my new friend, in order to be able to tempt fortune. I have an idea that I shall have a vein of luck! I say, my dear friend, aren't we drinking any more?"
"Oh! no, thanks, monsieur!"
"Then I will drink for both of us. This punch is too sweet! Here, waiter, put in more rum, a lot of it!"
"But, monsieur, there's no more punch in the bowl."
"Well! then make another bowl, but make it stronger."
The other bowl was brought.
After drinking two more glasses, Cherami tried to rise, but was obliged to hold on to the table to keep from falling; however, although he felt that his legs were wavering under him, he determined to maintain his dignity, and did his best to keep his balance as he walked toward the door.
XIV
THE PUNCH PRODUCES ITS EFFECT
"They are a long while coming back, those ladies!" muttered Gustave, coming and going from the room to the corridor.