this chatter was in french for the most part , and the young husband was spirited in his response , breaking off to ask me many polite questions as to the conditions of my voyage , and my liking of port-au-prince , and how long i would be staying with them , and other polite remarks as to the friendliness of the country , and how they had prospered at maye faire and meant to buy the adjacent plantation as soon as the owner , a drunken gambler , could be persuaded to sell .