Young Kingerie, who realized the necessity of overcoming his usual timidity, drank several glasses of champagne in rapid succession, and soon his eyes began to start from his head. Monsieur Camuzard drank in order to prompt better; little Astianax, who for some time past had affected very dissolute manners, proposed toasts to the dancers at the Porte-Saint-Martin and to the bareback riders at the Hippodrome. Chambourdin drank to whatever anyone suggested. Monsieur Mangeot drank to the success of the performance. Monsieur Glumeau proposed his own health; and stout Dufournelle, saying nothing, drank four times as much as the others.
But while drinking and laughing and talking, these gentlemen forgot the time; and suddenly little Astianax exclaimed:
“Mon Dieu! here are people coming already!”
XIX
A PLAY IN THE WOODS
It was midsummer, when the days were longest; and so, although it was nearly eight o’clock, the gardens were not yet dark, and they could see outside the gate a large number of persons who had come to see the performance. The ladies were in full dress, because they knew that after the play there would be dancing; the men too had taken pains with their costumes; for while saying to themselves: “In the country there is no ceremony;” they were quite as anxious to please there as in the city.
“The devil! the devil!” said Chambourdin, ogling the ladies who arrived. “Why, some of them are passably good-looking. Who is that brunette, with high color and her hair dressed à la Fontange? She has a saucy little air which attracts me immensely. Is she a product of the neighborhood?”
“Yes, she belongs here, or at all events she has property here.”
“Has she a husband?”
“She has one who is three times her age.”
“Then, it’s about the same as if she hadn’t any!”