However, the bagmen helping, we persuaded him to bring up two
bottles. A frantic price it was, too--frantic for _us_.
Seven francs a bottle."
"It was four francs fifty even in my time."
"The two bottles were opened. Jinks took his, and I took mine.
We had each _arrosed_ the dinner with about a pint of Bordeaux;
nothing to count. We looked at each other straight. I said, 'Be a
man, Jinks! _A votre sante messieurs!_' and we started. . . . As you
said just now, it's a most innocent-tasting wine."
"As a matter of fact, I didn't say so. Still, you are right."
"The fourth and fifth glasses, too, seemed to have no more kick in
them than the first. . . . Nothing much seemed to be happening,
except that Sebillot had brought in an extra lamp--at any rate, the
room was brighter, and I could see the bagmen's faces more distinctly
as they smiled and congratulated us. I drank off the last glass
'to the honour of England,' and suggested to Jinks--who had kept pace
with me, glass for glass--that we should take a stroll and view the
town. There was a fair (as I had heard) across the bridge. . . .
We stood up together. I had been feeling nervous about Jinks, and it
came as a relief to find that he was every bit as steady on his legs
as I was.
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