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These words； 〃go and see Cerizet；〃 were overheard by Minard； who was
following the two associates； but they offered no meaning to his mind。
The two men were so outside of his own course and projects that he
heard them without listening to them。
〃This has been one of the finest days in our lives；〃 said Brigitte to
her brother； when she found herself alone with him in the deserted
salon； at half…past two in the morning。 〃What a distinction！ to be
thus selected by your fellow…citizens！〃
〃Don't be mistaken about it； Brigitte； we owe it all； my child； to one
man。〃
〃What man？〃
〃To our friend； la Peyrade。〃
CHAPTER IX
THE BANKER OF THE POOR
It was not on the next day； Monday； but on the following day； Tuesday；
that Dutocq and Theodose went to see Cerizet； the former having called
la Peyrade's attention to the fact that Cerizet always absented
himself on Sundays and Mondays； taking advantage of the total absence
of clients on those days； which are devoted by the populace to
debauch。 The house toward which they directed their steps is one of
the striking features in the faubourg Saint…Jacques； and it is quite
as important to study it here as it was to study those of Phellion and
Thuillier。 It is not known （true； no commission has yet been appointed
to examine this phenomenon）； no one knows why certain quarters become
degraded and vulgarized； morally as well as materially； why； for
instance； the ancient residence of the court and the church； the
Luxembourg and the Latin quarter； have become what they are to…day； in
spite of the presence of the finest palaces in the world； in spite of
the bold cupola of Sainte…Genevieve； that of Mansard on the Val…de…
Grace； and the charms of the Jardin des Plantes。 One asks one's self
why the elegance of life has left that region； why the Vauquer houses；
the Phellion and the Thuillier houses now swarm with tenants and
boarders； on the site of so many noble and religious buildings； and
why such mud and dirty trades and poverty should have fastened on a
hilly piece of ground； instead of spreading out upon the flat land
beyond the confines of the ancient city。
The angel whose beneficence once hovered above this quarter being
dead； usury； on the lowest scale； rushed in and took his place。 To the
old judge； Popinot； succeeded Cerizet； and strange to say；a fact
which it is well to study；the effect produced； socially speaking；
was much the same。 Popinot loaned money without interest； and was
willing to lose； Cerizet lost nothing； and compelled the poor to work
hard and stay virtuous。 The poor adored Popinot； but they did not hate
Cerizet。 Here； in this region； revolves the lowest wheel of Parisian
financiering。 At the top； Nucingen & Co。； the Kellers； du Tillet； and
the Mongenods； a little lower down； the Palmas； Gigonnets； and
Gobsecks； lower still； the Samonons； Chaboisseaus； and Barbets； and
lastly （after the pawn…shops） comes this king of usury； who spreads
his nets at the corners of the streets to entangle all miseries and
miss none；Cerizet； 〃money lender by the little week。〃
The frogged frock…coat will have prepared you for the den in which
this convicted stock…broker carried on his present business。
The house was humid with saltpetre； the walls； sweating moisture； were
enamelled all over with large slabs of mould。 Standing at the corner
of the rue des Postes and rue des Poules； it presented first a ground…
floor； occupied partly by a shop for the sale of the commonest kind of
wine； painted a coarse bright red； decorated with curtains of red
calico； furnished with a leaden counter； and guarded by formidable
iron bars。 Above the gate of an odious alley hung a frightful lantern；
on which were the words 〃Night lodgings here。〃 The outer walls were
covered with iron crossbars； showing； apparently； the insecurity of
the building； which was owned by the wine…merchant； who also inhabited
the entresol。 The widow Poiret （nee Michonneau） kept furnished
lodgings on the first； second； and third floors； consisting of single
rooms for workmen and for the poorest class of students。
Cerizet occupied one room on the ground…floor and another in the
entresol； to which he mounted by an interior staircase； this entresol
looked out upon a horrible paved court； from which arose mephitic
odors。 Cerizet paid forty francs a month to the widow Poiret for his
breakfast and dinner； he thus conciliated her by becoming her boarder；
he also made himself acceptable to the wine…merchant by procuring him
an immense sale of wine and liquors among his clientsprofits
realized before sunrise； the wine…shop beginning operations about
three in the morning in summer； and five in winter。
The hour of the great Market； which so many of his clients； male and
female； attended； was the determining cause of Cerizet's early hours。
The Sieur Cadenet； the wine…merchant； in view of the custom which he
owed to the usurer； had let him the two rooms for the low price of
eighty francs a year； and had given him a lease for twelve years；
which Cerizet alone had a right to break； without paying indemnity； at
three months' notice。 Cadenet always carried in a bottle of excellent
wine for the dinner of this useful tenant； and when Cerizet was short
of money he had only to say to his friend； 〃Cadenet； lend me a few
hundred francs；〃loans which he faithfully repaid。
Cadenet； it was said； had proof of the widow Poiret having deposited
in Cerizet's hands some two thousand francs for investment； which may
explain the progress of the latter's affairs since the day when he
first took up his abode in the quarter； supplied with a last note of a
thousand francs and Dutocq's protection。 Cadenet； prompted by a
cupidity which success increased； had proposed； early in the year； to
put twenty thousand francs into the hands of his friend Cerizet。 But
Cerizet had positively declined them； on the ground that he ran risks
of a nature to become a possible cause of dispute with associates。
〃I could only；〃 he said to Cadenet； 〃take them at six per cent
interest； and you can do better than that in your own business。 We
will go into partnership later； if you like； in some serious
enterprise； some good opportunity which may require； say； fifty
thousand francs。 When you have got that sum to invest； let me know；
and we'll talk about it。〃
Cerizet had only suggested the affair of the house to Theodose after
making sure that among the three； Madame Poiret； Cadenet； and himself；
it was impossible to raise the full sum of one hundred thousand
francs。
The 〃lender by the little week〃 was thus in perfect safety in his den；
where he could even； if necessity came； appeal to the law。 On certain
mornings there might be seen as many as sixty or eighty persons； men
as often as women； either in the wine…shop； or the alley； or sitting
on the staircase； for the distrustful Cerizet would only admit six
persons at a time into his office。 The first comers were first served；
and each had to go by his number； which the wine…merchant； or his
shop…boy； affixed to the hats of the man and the backs of the women。
Sometimes the clients would sell to each other （as hackney…coachmen do
on the cabstands）； head numbers for tail numbers。 On certain days；
when the market business was pressing； a head number was often sold
for a glass of brandy and a sou。 The numbers； as they issued from
Cerizet's office； called up the succeeding numbers； and if any
disputes arose Cadenet put a stop to the fray at once my remarking：
〃If you get the police here you won't gain anything； HE'll shut up
shop。〃
HE was Cerizet's name。 When； in the course of the day； some hapless
woman； without an atom of food in her room； and seeing her children
pale with hunger； would come to borrow ten or twenty sous； she would
say to the wine…merchant anxiously：
〃Is HE there？〃
Cadenet； a short； stout man； dressed in blue； with outer sleeves of
black stuff and a wine…merchant's apron； and always wearing a cap；
seemed an angel to these mothers when he replied to them：
〃HE told me that you were an honest woman and I might give you forty
sous。 You know what you must do about it〃
And； strange to say； HE was blessed by these poor people； even as they
had lately blessed Popinot。
But Cerizet was cursed on Sunday mornings when accounts were settled；
and they cursed him even more on Saturdays； when it was necessary to
work in order to repay the sum borrowed with interest。 But； after all；
he was Providence； he was God from Tuesday to Friday of every week。
The room which he made his office； formerly the kitchen of the next
floor； was bare； the beams of the ceiling had been whitewashed； but
still bore marks of smoke。 The walls； along which he had put benches；
and the stone floor； retained and gave out dampness。 The fireplace；
where the crane remained； was partly filled by an iron stove in which
Cerizet burned sea…coal when the weather was severe。 A platform about
half a foot high and eight feet square extended from the edge of the
fireplace； on it was fastened a common table and an armchair with a
round cushion covered with green leather。 Behind him； Cerizet had
sheathed the walls with planks； als