"It's nothing; my valet is drunk and doesn't know what he's saying." "No, I ain't drunk either," cried Baptiste, walking toward the door; "pay me my wages instead of calling me 'thief.'" Destival hastily closed the door on Baptiste's heels and locked it. "The poor fellow," he said, "talks like a fool when he's drunk; but I overlook it, because he's very much attached to me." The people who had come thither pretended to believe what Monsieur Destival said, because it would have been discourteous to do otherwise; but they exchanged stealthy glances, laughed and whispered together, and made comments under their breath, while Baptiste, unable to return to the room, beat a devil's tattoo on the door, shouting in a hoarse voice: "My wages! pay me and discharge me; that's just what I'd like! I get tired of hearing the row your creditors make every day." Luckily the closed door muffled Baptiste's voice to some extent; and, in order that he might be heard even less distinctly, the business agent shouted louder than he: "All right, Baptiste, all right! You'll be sorry for this, but I forgive you; I know that you're faithful, and that's enough for me." Meanwhile Monin had seen his last hope fade away; for it was not to be presumed that the servants would bring more punch to the salon; so he returned to his wife. The guests were discussing the scene in the reception-room, even in the midst of their innocent games; and Madame Monin exclaimed: "Mon Dieu! if I hadn't been presenting my _little box of amourettes_ at that moment, I shouldn't have lost a word of what that Baptiste said. But you were there, Monsieur Monin, and heard everything. What happened?" "I was watching for the negro to get some punch, Bichette, and it was he who drank it." "Who's he?" "The black." "Who's the black?" "The servant in a red jacket." "Well?" "Well, then he took macaroons--No, I believe it was the other one who ate biscuits first--I am not perfectly sure." "Oh! you tell a story wretchedly, Monsieur Monin! Instead of listening to what was said, you were engrossed by biscuit and macaroons. For shame! you are such a glutton! You go into company only to drink and eat." "But, Bichette, when I tell you that I didn't----" "Bah! hold your tongue and find my shawl; everyone's going, you see." In truth, the time for departure had arrived, and the mammas had already donned their bonnets and shawls. The younger women took more time to find their wraps, and some obliging young man was always at hand to offer to help a pretty girl to find what she wanted. They still had something to say to one another before separating, and they chose to take advantage of the confusion that prevailed in the salon at that moment.