"Could you lend me an umbrella?" asked Monin. "We haven't any here," Julie replied curtly. "Nonsense! an umbrella!" said Bertrand, in whom the beaune had already aroused a tendency to talk. "As if a man should use such a thing! Is that what I taught you this morning--to handle an umbrella?" The guests began to laugh, and Julie elbowed Monin gradually toward the door, saying: "I don't like to have so many people in my kitchen, monsieur; they get in my way. Besides, you don't belong here." Julie closed the door; and Monin, finding himself expelled from the kitchen, decided to go up to the salon and wait until the storm should have subsided. Dalville and Athalie were at the piano, singing a nocturne. Monsieur Destival was playing écarté with Monsieur de la Thomassinière; and Madame Destival, while pretending to watch the game, lost nothing of what took place at the piano. "I have the honor to wish you good-evening," said Monin, noiselessly entering the salon. "Why, haven't you gone, neighbor? I supposed that you were at home before this." "No, I'll tell you--the rain----" "In that case, you must take a hand. Come, bet on me and you will win." "Can I bet now?" "Yes, it isn't too late." "All right; then I'll bet two sous." "What sort of bet is that--two sous!" exclaimed La Thomassinière contemptuously; "do you suppose that I play for copper? It's vulgar enough to play for a crown. Take that away, monsieur, it's covered with verdigris." "It's my two sous, monsieur; I bet them." "No one wants them, monsieur." "What! have I won already?" "Here, I'll fix that," said Destival, taking a ten-sou piece from his pocket; "I'll add eight sous to make up Monin's bet. So I stake three francs forty, and you, my dear fellow, three francs ten. My neighbor is prudent, you see, and yet he is very rich, in very comfortable circumstances. His nest is well feathered, the rascal!" "Then how can he propose to bet two sous?" said La Thomassinière; "it's beyond belief.--Ace, ace, and ace. You are robbed." "What! does he admit that he has robbed us?" Monin asked his neighbor in an undertone. "That means that we have lost.--Well, now for our revenge.--Aren't you betting, Madame Destival?" "No, monsieur, I prefer to listen to the singing." "Betting won't prevent you, madame; I don't lose a note while I am playing." "Nor I," said La Thomassinière. "I am like Cato, I can easily do four things at once!" "Haven't you any duets of Rossini's here, my dear?" inquired Athalie, running her fingers over the keys. "Why, I don't know, but I think not." "I think, madame, that I have had the pleasure of singing some of them with you here," said Dalville. "Ah! you remember, do you, monsieur?" "Here's a duet from _La Gazza_," said Athalie, after upsetting all the music on the piano; "let's try it, monsieur." "Ace, and _passe carreau_!" cried Monsieur de la Thomassinière triumphantly, taking up the money that was on the table.