"That's right!" said Tobie, gulping down the madeira. "Beaune première, the best there is! Is anything too good for us? Pass me the olives. Pass me the anchovies. Pass me the tunny." "The devil! you might as well say pass me everything! How little Tobie pitches in! Be careful, my dear fellow; it isn't prudent to have your stomach too full when you are going straight away to an assignation." "Oh! I have room enough. I'd like some madeira." "Monsieur has a full, round face, which doesn't indicate a very nervous man," said Dupétrain, looking at Tobie; "but I'll bet that I can put him to sleep." "Dupétrain," cried Mouillot, "you will be fined five francs every time that you mention magnetism during dinner." "Oho! we're forbidden to speak now, are we?" "Tell us something amusing--we would like that.--But you don't say anything, Albert! Have you an unrequited passion in your heart?" "I, a passion! _Fichtre!_ no--but I---- By the way, waiter, I expect a messenger. Let me know when anyone asks for me." "The same with me," said Célestin. "And me," cried Tobie, stuffing a handful of olives into his pocket; "let me know, waiter--for it's very important. I am Monsieur Tobie Pigeonnier. A messenger will ask for me." "Do you propose to put all the olives in your pocket, Tobie?" "I like them pocketed,[B] messieurs; they're much better." "Yes," laughed Célestin, "and then, you have some the next day." "Ah! they are better pocketed, are they?" said the artist. "Then I must try some." And as the radishes were passed to Balivan a moment later, he seized a handful and put them in his pocket. The first courses were discussed with great zest by the young men; but when the truffled turkey arrived, their enthusiasm had abated in some degree; Tobie alone seemed as hungry as ever, and filled his plate with truffles, crying: "On my word, one can dine mighty well here!" "You don't seem to be sure of yourself, Pigeonnier," said Albert, with a smile. "Peste!" said Mouillot; "how you do work your oven!" "Well, for all that," interposed Dupétrain, "I'll bet that I can put monsieur to sleep." "Five francs, Dupétrain!" "Give me some beaune, Balivan. Damnation! I knew it; he's mixed it with madeira! Would you like me to give you an idea of that fellow's absent-mindedness, messieurs? Not long ago, I went to see him during the day; his servant said: 'Monsieur is taking a bath; he sent out for one, and he's in it now.'--'Well,' I said, 'that needn't prevent my speaking to him. Men aren't afraid to look at one another in the water.'--So I went into the room where my gentleman was bathing. What did I see? Balivan, fully dressed, and with his boots on, seated in his bath and quietly reading a newspaper, absolutely unconscious that there was anything peculiar in his method of bathing." "Ha! ha! ha! that is too much; we might say, like your fair neighbor at dinner: it was a bet, wasn't it, Balivan?"