Oh, there was wine, and good!—what with the wine ...

'Faith, we began upon all sorts of talk!

He's no bad fellow, Blougram; he had seen

Something of mine he relished, some review:

He's quite above their humbug in his heart,

Half-said as much, indeed—the thing's his trade.

I warrant, Blougram's skeptical at times:

How otherwise? I liked him, I confess!"

Che che, my dear sir, as we say at Rome,

Don't you protest now! It's fair give and take;