human
You did well to give that sneak his walking ticket! What a fool he looked when you asked him who he went to see; he couldn't answer. _Pardi!_ I guess not; he'd have to own up that he'd done wrong. I'll give you a comparison: it's just the same as if you saw me opening your trunk, and you says: 'What are you looking in there for?' and I says: 'I can't tell you what I'm looking for;' and you says: 'Tell me!' and I----
gpt
All right! enough of that! you're never done with your comparisons, and they don't amuse me.
human
That's all right! Look here, I'm going to suggest something better. The sight of your rival has put you in a bad humor--that's natural; if I had someone in front of me as had turned my girl away from me, I wouldn't be satisfied till I'd given him a good licking; that would be rather hard, to be sure, as I don't happen to have any girl just now. As I was saying, you're out of sorts, but you've got some chink. That fat woman who's owed you a long while for moving her, and came and paid you this morning--you didn't expect that, so it's just the same as money found; and when you find money, you must spend it right away, or it'll bring you bad luck! So, let's not work to-day; let's go and take something. I know all the good places, you know; we'll just fold up our _crochets_ and enjoy our youth. How does that strike you?
gpt
Not work to-day, he muttered,
human
Late! it's only half-past nine.
gpt
Well, you see there's no business doing; we won't get anything to do to-day; it's the dead season; no one's doing anything.
human
Drinking ain't the way to save money to send a marriage portion to my sister Liline.
gpt
You've told me that your sister was pretty; and when a girl's pretty, she don't need a marriage portion; and then, ain't there a lady at Clermont who takes an interest in her, and has taken her into her family and given her an education?
human
Yes, but----
gpt
Well, she'll find a husband for your sister, that's plain enough; so you don't need to worry about her.
human
Poor Liline! I'm very fond of her; she's so pretty and gentle--as gentle as I am rough! I mean to go down into the country next spring, and see my sister and my father; and perhaps I'll stay with them, for I have nothing at all to keep me in Paris now.
gpt
Well, that's all right; you can go home next spring, and I'll show you out of the city; if you want, I'll wait for you at the barrier till you come back; but at the present time, if you don't take a little pleasure, you'll be as yellow and dry as parchment; you've changed already, you're losing your fine color.
human
Oh! I don't care about that now! there's nobody I want to please.
gpt
Nobody knows! nobody knows! you mustn't get careless. A man ought to be handsome all the time, as he's made to seduce; that's all I know. A comparison: it's like a horse that's never curry-combed; his coat loses all its gloss.
human
It's sure enough that there's twelve francs here, said Sans-Cravate, tapping his pocket,
gpt
We must squeeze 'em dry. You've got twelve francs and I've got fifteen sous; we'll put 'em together, and spree it till they're dead! What do you say?