"To our ladies!" And a series of toasts were then drunk, toasts
with the gallantry and manner of drunkards and troopers, mixed
with obscene jokes, rendered still more brutal by their ignorance
of the language.

They were rising one after the other, trying to be witty, making
efforts to be funny; and the women, so intoxicated that they were
hardly able to sit up, with their vacant look, their heavy, clammy
tongues, applauded vociferously each time.

The Captain, no doubt intending to lend the orgy an atmosphere
of gallantry, raised once more his glass and pronounced: "To our
victories over the hearts!"

Then Lieutenant Otto, a kind of bear from the Black Forest, jumped
up, inflamed, saturated with drinks, and suddenly, carried away by
alcoholic patriotism, he cried: "To our victories over France!"

Intoxicated as they were, the women kept silent and Rachel,
shuddering with rage, retorted: "Well! I know some Frenchmen in
whose presence you would not dare say such things."

But the little Markgraf, still holding her on his knees, began to
laugh, having become exceedingly exhilarated by the wine: "Ah!
Ah! Ah! I never met any myself. As soon as they see us, they run
away."

The girl exasperated, shouted in his face: "You lie, you dirty
pig!"