"I have no idea. What is your business?"
"I haven't any, monsieur; I don't do anything. I have ten thousand francs a year."
"That makes a difference—you have arrived!"
"I," said Monsieur Bruneau, "am one of the strongest domino players in Paris; and that was the point I wanted to arrive at.—Do you play dominoes, monsieur?"
"No, monsieur; I don't know how to play anything but bézique."
"Ah! do you play bézique?" cried Dubotté. "That's my wife's favorite game; she adores bézique.—Isn't that so, Nonore? aren't you very fond of the game?"
"Yes, my dear, I like to play with you."
"True; but you'd enjoy it much more to play with somebody else; for when you and I play, whether the stakes are two sous or ten, we never pay; how exciting that is! With anybody else, you stake your money in earnest, and defend it, which is always much more interesting."
After dinner, Dubotté immediately prepared a card table and said to Callé:
"You and my wife must play a game of bézique; she plays very well."