"Monsieur! why did you, who understand Monsieur Rabourdin so well, why did you make that inf--that odi--that hideous caricature ?" Bixiou.

"Do you forget our bet?
don't you know I was backing the devil's game, and that your bureau owes me a dinner at the Rocher de Cancale ?" Poiret [much put-out].

"Then it is a settled thing that I am to leave this government office without ever understanding a sentence, or a single word uttered by Monsieur Bixiou." Bixiou.

"It is your own fault; ask these gentlemen.

Gentlemen, have you understood the meaning of my observations?
and were those observations just, and brilliant ?" All.