Valerie by Frederick Marryat

In a few minutes after Lionel's return, which he had considerably postponed, until Monsieur Gironac's dinner hour had all but arrived, my good host first, and then kind, merry little madame, made their appearance, and a little while was consumed in introductions, exclamations, admirations, and congratulations, all tinctured not a little by that national vivacity, which other folks are in the habit of calling extravagance, and which, as my readers well know already, the good Gironacs had by no means got rid of, even in the course of a long _sejour_ in the matter-of-fact metropolis of England.

Fortunately, my friends were for the most part, _au fait_ to the leading circumstances of my life, so that little explanation was needed.