"Good-day, Putiphar!"
"Hail, Madame Putiphar!"
"Sit down, Putiphar. When I wrote you to come, I didn't know that Monsieur Dodichet, a commission merchant in sugar, would treat Boulotte and me to this impromptu feast of champagne and truffles mixed, this morning.—But that doesn't make any difference; for you're in no hurry, I take it?"
The corpulent dame replied by repeated courtesies, accompanied by loving glances at the table, mumbling:
"Oh! mesdames, don't let me disturb you at all! It smells good here, and I'm in no hurry; I'll watch you eat."
"Won't you take a glass of champagne with us, madame?"
"Oh! monsieur is very polite——"
"Accept, Putiphar, accept; nobody ever refuses a glass of champagne!"
"I am tempted——"
"With a biscuit in it, eh?"