"There's a little honeysuckle, and ivy, and gra.s.s--oh! it's well kept up."

"If it satisfies all of you, that's the main point.--Are you going to the country on such a cold day as this?"

"Aunt always expects us Sat.u.r.day, to stay till Monday."

"Ah, yes! it is Sat.u.r.day, isn't it?--just as it was when I met you waiting for an omnibus at Porte Saint-Martin."

"But, since then--Aristoloche, if you move again, I'll box your ears!--since then, it seems to me, Monsieur Cherami, that things have improved a little with you--judging by your dress?"

"Yes, my dear Madame Capucine; I have collected a little money that was owing me.--Mon Dieu! that reminds me; twenty times I have had it in my mind to look you up and settle that little balance I still owe your husband; but something else has always put it out of my head; it's a mere trifle, to be sure, but I propose to settle it very soon."

"Very good! but if you want to see Capucine, there's a very simple way to do it--that is, unless you are engaged for the day."

"The day? I can do what I choose with it, I am as free as air."

"Then come with us to Pa.s.sy, to my aunt's; she expects us to breakfast, in fact; we're a little late, and--Narcisse, will you please not pull the feathers of your beautiful Henri IV hat like that; you'll spoil them!"

"The old hat makes me squint; it puts my eyes out."

"What a bad boy! A hat that your aunt gave you!"

"You were saying, my dear Madame Capucine?"

"I was asking you to come with us to Aunt Duponceau's; you know her; and to-night, at six o'clock, Capucine will join us there, and you can settle your little account with him. What do you think of my scheme?"

Cherami reflected a moment, then replied:

"Your scheme hits me--I mean, it suits me perfectly. The company of a charming woman--an improvised trip to the country--this breakfast, which will not detract from the pleasure of the occasion--I am at your service. Let's be off."

"Ah! that's very good of you!"

And the stout lady smiled a smile of lingering sweetness at Cherami, who was in her eyes a very handsome fellow now that he was well dressed. He had already formed his plan, into which the payment of his debt did not enter; but he was certain of a good breakfast, and probably of being invited to dine as well, with Aunt Duponceau; after dinner, he would readily find some pretext for escaping from the Capucine family.

"Here comes the Pa.s.sy omnibus," said Madame Capucine; "let's not miss it."

They entered the omnibus; Madame Capucine took Master Aristoloche on her lap, in order to avoid paying for a seat for him; she requested Cherami to do as much for Narcisse, a suggestion which did not seem to tempt the ex-beau. Luckily for him, the urchin insisted upon having a seat all to himself, threatening, if they did not humor him, to sit on his Henri IV hat. This threat produced its effect: Master Narcisse took his seat in a corner, and Cherami declared that the little fellow deserved to be put by himself.

The omnibus started, and they soon arrived at Pa.s.sy; thereupon Cherami had no choice but to offer Madame Capucine his arm to her aunt's abode.

The little boys went before them, jumping and frolicking. At Pa.s.sy they were in no danger from wagons, and Master Narcisse had seized Cherami's switch, with which he belabored all the stone posts and benches; a proceeding which was far from amusing to the owner of the stick, who expected from moment to moment to see it in the same state as Monsieur Courbichon's cane.

"That little fellow promises well!" he exclaimed.

"Isn't he full of ideas?"

"I am convinced that he will end by breaking my switch. But how does it happen that you didn't bring your maid Adelaide?"

"Oh! don't talk to me about that girl, I beg!"

"What! can it be that the faithful Adelaide stole from you?"

"No, it wasn't her honesty that gave out; it was something else. Ah! who would ever have thought, who would ever have believed---- An ugly, thin, shapeless creature. Oh! men have very beastly tastes sometimes!"

"The deuce! do you mean to say that Capucine----"

"What! oh! no, indeed, monsieur; it wasn't my husband! Ah!"

And Madame Capucine looked up at the sky with an expression which seemed to say:

"If it only had been!"

Then she added indignantly:

"Ballot, monsieur; Ballot, our young clerk!"

"The devil! that young man you liked so well?"

"To be sure. As if anyone could have dreamed! He behaved very well at first."

"And he went astray in the kitchen?"

"Yes, monsieur."

"But was it perfectly certain? People are so ill-natured!"

"They were caught, monsieur; caught among the bunches of onions."

"Enough! tell me no more; you would bring tears to my eyes."

"So, as you can imagine, I purified my house on the instant; I dismissed Mademoiselle Adelaide."

"And your clerk too?"

"He went of his own accord. We might have forgiven him, perhaps; he was so young!"

"Of course, and the smell of onions goes to the heart."

"But Monsieur Ballot chose to lose his head, and away he went."

"You will find somebody to take his place."

"That's what I'm looking for at this moment. Ah! Monsieur Cherami, a young man who had--my whole confidence! You can't rely on anything or anybody nowadays!"

"That's the only way to avoid being taken in."

The stout lady heaved a tremendous sigh and leaned heavily on the arm of her escort, who said to himself:

"I wonder if she would like to have me replace Monsieur Ballot?--Thanks!

I have my cue."