“I am not sorry to rest a little,” said the corpulent Droguet, sinking on a couch; “we danced that whole waltz without stopping, didn’t we, Beau Luminot?”
Beau Luminot, puffing noisily, had taken his stand behind the ladies. He wiped the perspiration from his forehead as he replied:
“I’m as wet as a dish-rag; but we waltzed like Flora and Zephyr.”
“Your husband is on edge, Madame de Belleville; he hasn’t missed a dance yet.”
“He is simply doing his duty; a host should set the example; he has got to exhaust his list.”
“He may well be exhausted himself first. Are you ladies going to play cards?”
“Perhaps, neighbor, perhaps; we want to vary our pleasures.”
“I’ll bet two sous, if anybody will cover them.”
“Oh! Monsieur Luminot! do you dare to mention two sous? Don’t you see that these gentlemen are playing for gold?”
“Gold! real gold?”