I have told you that all eyes were fixed on me, and that everybody was waiting to hear what I might have to say in justification or explanation of what I had advanced on the subject of men who love several women at once. For my part, I admit that, far from thinking about what reply I should make to those gentlemen, I was busily engaged in watching Dumouton, who was stowing away the contents of all the dessert plates within his reach, although he was not eating. When he could find nothing else on the plates that were near him, he attacked one of those pasteboard structures, usually covered with candies or small cakes, which no one ever touches, because they are intended simply as decorations for the table, and one of them often does duty for several months. I saw one of the waiters glare at him furiously when he saw what he was doing, and I said to myself: "I wonder if that poor Dumouton is in the same position as Frédérick Lemaître in _Le Joueur_, when he stuffs bread into his pocket, saying: 'For my family!'" "Well, Rochebrune! are you going to speak to-day?" said Dupréval. "What do you mean?" "What you were going to tell us." "Oh! I beg your pardon, messieurs! You see, the wine we have drunk has confused my memory, and I should find it hard to recall what I said to you just now. And, to tell you the truth, instead of making speeches about the best way of loving, which never prove anything, because every man loves in his own way, which is the best to his mind, it seems to me that it would be much more amusing for each of us to tell about one of his _bonnes fortunes_, old or new, according to his pleasure.--What do you say, messieurs?" My suggestion was welcomed by enthusiastic plaudits; only Monsieur Faisandé made a wry face, and muttered: "The deuce, messieurs, tell one of our _bonnes fortunes_! Why, that's a very delicate subject. I didn't suppose that such things were talked about, as a general rule. Discretion, messieurs, is the duty of an honorable man, and, above all, of a lady's man." "Oh! bless my soul, Monsieur Faisandé, if you don't mention any names, there's no indiscretion; and, as we are entitled to go back to ancient history, how in the devil are you going to recognize the characters?" "This Monsieur Faisandé is very austere and very modest," murmured my neighbor, the bulky Rouffignard. "He is very foolish to venture with ne'er-do-wells of our temper." "Especially," said Montricourt, "as the fellow's a great nuisance." "Well, then, messieurs, Rochebrune's suggestion being adopted, who's to begin?" "Parbleu! yourself, Dupréval; the honor is yours." "Very good. Then it will be my right-hand neighbor's turn, and so on around the table."