"Ta ta ta! that speech smells strongly of the barn! If gambling is dangerous in your province, it isn't so in Paris; and the proof is that everybody gambles, from the lowest to the highest. The greatest nobles set us the example; they wouldn't be gentlemen if they didn't gamble."
"Oh! I don't claim to be a gentleman, myself!"
"Sandis! that's lucky!" said Passedix to himself. "What a blockhead this young Béarnais is; he doesn't gamble and he won't eat; he doesn't know how to carry his wine! If only he has money!—but I must make sure of that before they bring us that famous omelet."—And, addressing his young companion once more, Passedix said: "Can it be that we are miserly, by any chance, my young shepherd? Fie! fie! that would be a wretched failing, and one that is much ridiculed in Paris, where every man of heart, if he wants to enjoy himself, should pay, without reckoning, every bill presented to him."
"I, miserly!" rejoined Cédrille, with a smile; "oh! I am not afraid of anyone charging me with that; I have never had anything of my own! Whenever my fob is full, what there is in it is at my friends' service!"
"Bravo! very good! shake! I am just like that, myself!—Well, then, my good Cédrille, as you don't know the game of dice, and as I am absolutely determined to lose a rose crown to you, we will play for it at wet finger. I trust that you know that game, at least!"
"At wet finger!" muttered Cédrille, putting his hands to his pockets. "Oh! I know that game, yes. But, by the way, I just remember that I can't play to-night, unless I play on credit——"
"On credit! What does that mean?"
"It means that the servants at the Hôtel de Mongarcin—all those splendid fellows in handsome livery, who treated me so handsomely at the offices——"
"Well! what then? Let us have it, mordioux!"
"Well! when I left them, saying that I was going to walk round the city a bit, they said: 'Have you got any money about you?'—I said yes, and took a good fat purse out of my pocket.—Oh! I didn't start out on my travels without the means of travelling.—'Well,' they said, 'leave your purse here; don't take it with you, or it will be stolen; and it won't do you any good to be on your guard, for you won't see anything; Paris is full of vagabonds, cloak snatchers, cutpurses, who strip you without your knowing how it's done. You don't need your purse to walk about the city; so, leave it here, where it will be safe, the maître d'hôtel will be responsible for it; and then you can stroll all over Paris and snap your fingers at the robbers.'—Faith! I followed their advice and left my purse in their hands; and I haven't a sou about me!"