Georgette took one swallow of grenache, then put her glass on the table. "I don't like sweetened wines," she said. "Sapristi! what in heaven's name does she like?" thought Dupont; and to console himself, he emptied his own glass at a draught. But by dint of trying to maintain his aplomb, he became as red as his friend Jolibois; and when the champagne was brought, he left his chair and proposed to Georgette to dance the polka with him. She laughed in his face and sent him back to his seat. He filled a glass with champagne and offered it to the girl. "Don't you like champagne either?" he asked. "Oh, no! it has an effervescence, a sparkle, that arouses---- Does your wife like it?" Dupont brought his fist down on the table, drank a glass of champagne, and cried: "Upon my word, you're laughing at me! But you shall pay me for it! That calls for revenge, and I propose to avenge myself by kissing you." As he spoke, he rose and rushed toward Georgette, and tried to put his arms about her. But she checked him with a firm hand. "None of this nonsense, Monsieur Dupont," she said, "or I shall be seriously angry." "What, dear angel! do you really mean to refuse me this?" "I shall refuse you everything; you may be sure of that." "Oho! why, then you have been laughing at me, making a fool of me!" "In what way have I made a fool of you, monsieur?" "In what way? Why, in every way! When a woman accepts a man's attentions, when she consents to receive presents from him,--a shawl, a bonnet, and heaven knows what!--she doesn't send him about his business afterward, do you understand, mademoiselle?" "I understand, monsieur, that you are as foolish as you are impertinent. Did I ever give you the slightest hope that I would be your mistress? You taunt me for accepting a few paltry presents. I have made you some much more valuable ones, by consenting to receive your visits, to go to walk and to the theatre with you, to put my arm in yours. Do you count all that as nothing, monsieur?" "I don't say that. But you consented to dine with me in a private room; and when a woman goes to a private dining-room with a gentleman--it isn't for the purpose of being cruel. Everybody knows that." "Oh! I could well afford to dine tête-à-tête with you, monsieur, for you have never been at all dangerous to me." "Then why have you always refused until to-day?" "Because I didn't choose to give you hopes that could not be realized." "And why did you accept to-day?" "Because it bored me to walk about in the rain with you. But, never fear, monsieur, I shall not be caught again."