"It's this dinner that irritates me, and makes a brute of me!"
"Just remember that you are going to get rid of your daughter—to marry her to a millionaire Italian count, Count Miflorès, who will give us some superb presents, I am sure, when he gives her her wedding gift."
"You think that he'll give us something?"
"Madame Putiphar feels sure of it."
"Then it's all right!"
"It is well worth a dinner.—By the way, monsieur, have you thought about the wine?"
"The wine! why, I have some in the cellar."
"Yes, our regular table wine, which is very bad."
"The more water you put in it, the better it is."
"But we must have claret with the second course, and champagne at dessert; everybody does."