"Hold your tongue, Bibi!" cried Mademoiselle Zizi. "Don't you see that it's a joke? It would be pretty, wouldn't it, to come to dinner with a lady and take to squabbling in her presence!--In the first place, I believe monsieur is too well bred for that; and as for Jericourt, he knows well enough that it doesn't pay to make me angry; I have ways of revenging myself! Come; let's have no more talk about it, and our dear neighbor will show us the fourth way to drink champagne; and everybody must try to imitate him this time. What do you say, my dear friend?" "I told you just now, _belle dame_, that I am always at your service." "Good! now you are agreeable again." While Roncherolle filled his glass, Jericourt rose, took his hat, and said, bowing coldly to the company: "It is eight o'clock and I have an appointment at that hour; I am distressed that I cannot stay longer." "What! leaving us so early?" faltered Alfred. "Liberty! _libertas!_" said Zizi; "all sorts of good wishes, monsieur!" When Jericourt had left the room, the young woman sprang to her feet and began to dance a sort of _cachucha_ in front of the mirror, singing: "Il est parti Ce cher ami! Ah! ca m'enchante! J'en suis contente! Traderi dera la la Traderi deri! Biribi!" "Faith!" said Roncherolle, "I must tell you frankly, my dear Monsieur Saint-Arthur, that Monsieur Jericourt doesn't attract me at all, and that I ask you as a favor not to invite me to dine with him again!" "Nor me; I won't dine with that ill-licked fellow any more; do you hear, my dear?" "I hear.--But let's see the fourth way." "Attention!--You must sing: 'When the bells of the village ring the hour of work, _eh bon, bon, bon_!' I have my glass full, I drink after your three _bons_, and I answer _bon_. You repeat _eh bon bon bon_ three times; I answer _bon_ every time, after drinking; and when I say _bon_ the last time I must have finished my glass." "_Fichtre!_ that's rather complicated!" "Not at all; it's simply a matter of emptying your glass in three swallows; you mustn't begin till after the _eh bon bon bon_, and you must finish it before you say the last _bon_.--Sing, fair Zizi." "Here goes! "When the bells of the village Ring the hour of work, Eh bon bon bon!" Roncherolle, after drinking: "_Bon!_" Zizi: "_Eh bon bon bon!_" Roncherolle: "_Bon!_" Zizi: "_Eh bon bon_----" "_Bon!_ and you see, it's empty!" "Ah! that's a very pretty way!--It's my turn; fill my glass, old fellow, and sing; I'm ready." Roncherolle sang and Mademoiselle Zizi drank, answered _bon,_ and swallowed her wine at one gulp. "You went a little fast," said the professor; "but never mind, you'll do it all right." "My turn!" cried Alfred, lifting his glass in a hand that was far from steady. "Sing, and you'll see; I'm sure of succeeding at this method; I am waiting at the post."