“Nor I,” said La Thomassinière. “I am like Cato, I can easily do four things at once!”
“Haven’t you any duets of Rossini’s here, my dear?” inquired Athalie, running her fingers over the keys.
“Why, I don’t know, but I think not.”
“I think, madame, that I have had the pleasure of singing some of them with you here,” said Dalville.
“Ah! you remember, do you, monsieur?”
“Here’s a duet from La Gazza,” said Athalie, after upsetting all the music on the piano; “let’s try it, monsieur.”
“Ace, and passe carreau!” cried Monsieur de la Thomassinière triumphantly, taking up the money that was on the table.
“What does passe carreau mean?” Monin asked Destival in a whisper.
“It means that we have lost, as you see.”
“I don’t know the terms of the game. That makes four sous that I’ve lost already.”