"Eat that soup," Kendricks advised him. "That, at least, is sustaining. Never mind stirring it up to see what vegetables are at the bottom. Take my word for it, it is good. And leave the pepper-pot alone. How the people crowd in! You perceive the commercial traveler with a customer? How they talk about that last order! The fat man facing you puzzles me. I wish I could know the occupation of our neighbors. I am curious."
"I should ask them," Julien suggested dryly.
"An idea!" Kendricks assented approvingly. "Let us wait until they have drunk the free wine. You understand, my dear Julien, that you pay nothing for that flask which stands by your side? It comes with the dinner. It is free."
Julien helped himself, and sipped it thoughtfully.
"At least," he murmured, as he set his glass down, "one is thankful that we do not pay for it!"
"There are some," Kendricks remarked, "who prefer beer. Personally, I like to preserve my local color. _Vin ordinaire_ in Paris, beer in Germany. Madame!"
Kendricks had caught madame's eye with the glass at his lips. He rose at once and bowed. Madame acknowledged his graciousness with a huge smile, which spread even to her double chin. Monsieur leaned forward and joined in the ceremony. Mademoiselle, after a timid glance at her mother, also responded. Kendricks' character as an Englishman of gallantry was thoroughly established.
"I am doing our national character good," he declared to Julien, as he set down his glass empty. "As to my own constitution--but let that pass. We will drown this stuff in honest beer, later on. How are you getting on with the fish?"
"It is excellent--really excellent," Julien proclaimed. "Do you mean to say seriously that you are going to pay only two francs each for this repast?"
"Not a centime more," Kendricks assured him. "Do you know why I brought you here?"
"Part of my education, I suppose," Julien replied resignedly.
"Quite true. Further than that, I am here on business for my paper. I am here to study the effect of the German invasion of Paris. This place is being spoken of as being the haunt of Germans. It still seems to me that I find plenty of the real French people."
"Do we pursue your investigations elsewhere during the course of the evening?" Julien inquired.