Here we are, then, all met together--let us hope for a week or two's enjoyment.
Little by little we must try and see what we can do towards instilling that idea into the mind of Monsieur Douaille.

We may succeed, we may fail, but let us always remember that our conversations are the conversations of four friends, met together upon what is nothing more or less than a holiday.

I hate the sight of those sheets of blotting-paper and clean pens.

Who wants to make notes, especially of what we are going to talk about! The man who cannot carry notes in his head is no statesman." Monsieur Douaille, who had chosen champagne and was smoking a cigarette, beamed approval.

Much of his nervousness had departed.
"I agree," he declared, "I like well the attitude of our friend Selingman.