'Dry up now, Gerald.

We're going to drink toasts.

Let us drink toasts.

Toasts--glasses, glasses--now then, toasts! Speech! Speech!' Birkin, thinking about race or national death, watched his glass being filled with champagne.

The bubbles broke at the rim, the man withdrew, and feeling a sudden thirst at the sight of the fresh wine, Birkin drank up his glass.