Favorite listened with profound attention.
“Félix,” said she, “what a pretty word! I love that name. It is Latin; it means prosper.”
Tholomyès went on:—
“ Quirites , gentlemen, caballeros , my friends. Do you wish never to feel the prick, to do without the nuptial bed, and to brave love? Nothing more simple. Here is the receipt: lemonade, excessive exercise, hard labor; work yourself to death, drag blocks, sleep not, hold vigil, gorge yourself with nitrous beverages, and potions of nymphaeas; drink emulsions of poppies and agnus castus; season this with a strict diet, starve yourself, and add thereto cold baths, girdles of herbs, the application of a plate of lead, lotions made with the subacetate of lead, and fomentations of oxycrat.”
“I prefer a woman,” said Listolier.
“Woman,” resumed Tholomyès; “distrust her. Woe to him who yields himself to the unstable heart of woman! Woman is perfidious and disingenuous. She detests the serpent from professional jealousy. The serpent is the shop over the way.”
“Tholomyès!” cried Blachevelle, “you are drunk!”
“Pardieu,” said Tholomyès.