"Perhaps it's the oysters that care for you," said Jéricourt, helping himself to soup.
"Hum! this begins well," said Roncherolle to himself, filling the actress's glass with madeira, while she glared savagely at Jéricourt. That gentleman, as he ate his soup, glanced at the gentleman opposite from time to time, and said to himself:
"I know that man; this certainly isn't the first time that I've seen him; but where in the devil have I met him?"
Roncherolle, for his part, having recognized the man of letters at the first glance, smiled slyly as he submitted to be stared at, and continued to be most attentive to his fair neighbor, who said to him, eating for four all the while:
"You please me, you do! you're a good fellow! you're worth a deal more than all these youngsters! you're as young as they are, only you've been so longer!"
At last Jéricourt, unable to contain himself, said to his vis-à-vis:
"Mon Dieu! monsieur, it seems to you perhaps that I stare at you rather persistently."
"That flatters me, monsieur; I assume that you find me pleasant to look at."
"That is not just the reason, monsieur; the fact is that it seems to me that this is not the first time we have met."
"True, monsieur; and I recognized you instantly, when you entered the room."