"Well! if everybody here gives me a sou, that will make a very tidy little sum; but our handsome blond is always afraid of compromising himself! He is truly superb, this Dubotté!--Do you know, Dubotté, you make me think of the sun, on my word! I can't look at you without squinting. But aren't we all here? Good-evening, messieurs! I haven't forgotten our appointment of five years ago, you see. That surprises you, doesn't it? well, it surprises me too, on my honor! Ah! there's Lucien, dear old Lucien, whom I haven't seen, I believe, since our agreement.--Give us your hand, Lucien-- "'Cette main, cette main si jolie!'" "Good God! is he going to sing again? I'm going away, then." "No, Phœbus, don't be alarmed, I won't sing any more--not to please you, but because I want to talk with Adhémar and Lucien.--Ah! Adhémar--there's a friend that is a friend; you can always find him when you want him. But Dubotté! his scent tells him when anyone's going to ask a favor of him, and he runs away like a stag. I said, like a stag; the simile is a little _risquée_ perhaps, as our friend is married; but, never mind! I have said it, and I won't take it back." "Oh! I'm not offended, Dodichet. When a man has a wife like mine, he is above such jests." "You're content with your wife, eh? so much the better, I'm glad of it.--But I say, messieurs, is that all you're going to take? For my part, the weather makes me thirsty." "Very well! order some beer." "Beer! oh, no! that's too vulgar; punch, rather." "Who ever heard of drinking punch just before dinner?" "Why not? all hours are alike to good fellows!--Punch, waiter! rum punch--and see that it's good; say it's for a connoisseur.--Won't you have a glass of punch, too, my dear Lucien? it warms you up and makes you lively!" "No, thanks; I won't take anything; I don't need anything." "Oh! yes, you do; pardieu! you'll take some punch with us; just remember that it is I who invite you!" "But I'll answer for it that it won't be he who will pay," said Adhémar, in an undertone. However, when the punch was brought, they all concluded to partake. Dodichet immediately poured out a second glass for himself, humming: "'J'en veux goûter encore, pour en être certain.'" But Adhémar silenced him by saying: "Messieurs, we four, born at Troyes----" "The home of hashed veal," said Dodichet. "Oh! Dodichet, you are not going to keep interrupting Adhémar, are you?" "Not I; I simply desired to confirm his statement that we were all born at Troyes.--Go on, Adhémar." "Five years ago, we four happened to meet in this same café. I was then twenty-four years old, and I had been in Paris for some time; but Philémon Dubotté and Lucien had just arrived, and Dodichet had run through the inheritance of only one of his uncles. We were old schoolfellows. Do you know what we said when we met here?"