"Indeed! what a generous youth! Where do I gain anything in that, I wonder?"
"Messieurs," said Mouillot, "I'll bet something much more agreeable for the company. I'll bet that I get the little neighbor to come down here."
"Ah! that's something like."
"You said that she lived overhead, Balivan?"
"Yes."
"Very good! just give me a hammer; I'll demolish the ceiling, and then the fascinating grisette will fall through."
"Ha! ha! a famous method!"
Young Tobie, who had already lost his stake, and had taken money from the pool to make up the second one, was no longer in the mood for laughing.
"I say, messieurs," he cried, "just because you're not playing now, you prevent other people from playing. Leave us in peace, will you? I have lost a pile of money already. I keep making mistakes; I have misty, and don't see it."
"Bah! a pile of money! he's lost his stake once."