"And afterward, messieurs," said Dupétrain, "I will magnetize you all."
"Oh! he'll drive us mad with his nonsense! I say, Dupétrain, do you magnetize your mistresses, when you have any?"
"Certainly; I put myself in communication with them at once."
"He communicates his magnetic fluid to them."
"And as they confess, in the somnambulistic state, that they deceive him, that vexes him, and he goes off and puts others to sleep."
"Laugh as much as you please, messieurs!" rejoined Dupétrain, assuming a solemn expression and resting his elbows on the table; "but if I should tell you all the extraordinary things that have been disclosed to me by the power of magnetism, you would shudder from head to foot."
"Fichtre!" exclaimed Tobie, returning to the lobster. "Faith! they give you a good dinner here.—Is this story of yours very interesting?"
"Well, well!" said Albert; "here's Tobie burning with the desire to shudder from head to foot!"
"I'll tell you a single incident," replied Dupétrain, delighted to find that Tobie paid some attention to what he said.—"A young woman, whose husband was travelling——"
At that moment, the waiter opened the door of the salon and said: