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remedy for him？〃
〃Goodness！〃 said the portress； 〃he doesn't make much provision for
winter； and here we are in the middle of summer！〃
〃And not a saucepan！ not a pot； even！ Gracious！ what a way to live。
I'll have to fetch him some provisions； I hope nobody will see the
things I bring back； I'd be ashamed they should〃
〃I'll lend you a hand…bag；〃 said the portress； always ready and
officious。
〃No； I'll buy a basket；〃 replied the fishwife； more anxious about what
she expected to carry away than what she was about to bring home to
the pauper。 〃There must be some Auvergnat in the neighborhood who
sells wood；〃 she added。
〃Corner of the rue Ferou； you'll find one there。 A fine establishment；
with logs of wood painted in a kind of an arcade all round the shop
so like； you'd think they were going to speak to you。〃
Before going finally off； Madame Cardinal went through a piece of very
deep hypocrisy。 We have seen how she hesitated about leaving the
portress alone with the sick man：
〃Madame Perrache；〃 she said to her； 〃you won't leave him； the poor
darling； will you； till I get back？〃
It may have been noticed that Cerizet had not decided on any definite
course of action in the new affair he was now undertaking。 The part of
doctor； which for a moment he thought of assuming； frightened him； and
he gave himself out； as we have seen； to Madame Perrache as the
business agent of his accomplice。 Once alone； he began to see that his
original idea complicated with a doctor； a nurse； and a notary；
presented the most serious difficulties。 A regular will drawn in favor
of Madame Cardinal was not a thing to be improvised in a moment。 It
would take some time to acclimatize the idea in the surly and
suspicious mind of the old pauper； and death； which was close at hand；
might play them a trick at any moment； and balk the most careful
preparations。
It was true that unless a will were made the income of eight thousand
francs on the Grand Livre and the house in the rue Notre…Dame de
Nazareth would go to the heirs…at…law； and Madame Cardinal would get
only her share of the property； but the abandonment of this visible
portion of the inheritance was the surest means of laying hands on the
invisible part of it。 Besides； if the latter were secured； what
hindered their returning to the idea of a will？
Resolving； therefore； to confine the OPERATION to the simplest terms
at first； Cerizet summed them up in the manoeuvre of the poppy…heads；
already mentioned； and he was making his way back to Toupillier's
abode； armed with that single weapon of war； intending to give Madame
Cardinal further instructions； when he met her； bearing on her arm the
basket she had just bought； and in that basket was the sick man's
panacea。
〃Upon my word！〃 cried the usurer； 〃is this the way you keep your
watch？〃
〃I had to go out and buy him wine；〃 replied the Cardinal； 〃he is
howling like a soul in hell that he wants to be at peace； and to be
let alone； and get his wine！ It is his one idea that Roussillon is
good for his disease。 Well； when he has drunk it； I dare say he will
be quieter。〃
〃You are right；〃 said Cerizet； sententiously； 〃never contradict a sick
man。 But this wine； you know； ought to be improved； by infusing these〃
（and lifting one of the covers of the basket he slipped in the
poppies） 〃you'll procure the poor man a good； long sleep；five or six
hours at least。 This evening I'll come and see you； and nothing； I
think； need prevent us from examining a little closer those matters of
inheritance。〃
〃I see；〃 said Madame Cardinal； winking。
〃To…night； then；〃 said Cerizet； not wishing to prolong the
conversation。
He had a strong sense of the difficulty and danger of the affair； and
was very reluctant to be seen in the street conversing with his
accomplice。
Returning to her uncle's garret； Madame Cardinal found him still in a
state of semi…torpor； she relieved Madame Perrache； and bade her good…
bye； going to the door to receive a supply of wood； all sawed； which
she had ordered from the Auvergnat in the rue Ferou。
Into an earthen pot； which she had bought of the right size to fit
upon the hole in the stoves of the poor where they put their soup…
kettles； she now threw the poppies； pouring over them two…thirds of
the wine she had brought back with her。 Then she lighted a fire
beneath the pot； intending to obtain the decoction agreed upon as
quickly as possible。 The crackling of the wood and the heat； which
soon spread about the room； brought Toupillier out of his stupor。
Seeing the stove lighted he called out：
〃Who is making a fire here？ Do you want to burn the house down？〃
〃Why； uncle；〃 said the Cardinal； 〃it is wood I bought with my own
money； to warm your wine。 The doctor doesn't want you to drink it
cold。〃
〃Where is it； that wine？〃 demanded Toupillier； calming down a little
at the thought that the fire was not burning at his expense。
〃It must come to a boil；〃 said his nurse； 〃the doctor insisted upon
that。 Still； if you'll be good I'll give you half a glass of it cold；
just to wet your whistle。 I'll take that upon myself； but don't you
tell the doctor。〃
〃Doctor！ I won't have a doctor； they are all scoundrels； invented to
kill people；〃 cried Toupillier； whom the idea of drink had revived。
〃Come； give me the wine！〃 he said； in the tone of a man whose patience
had come to an end。
Convinced that though this compliance would do no harm it could do no
good； Madame Cardinal poured out half a glass； and while she gave it
with one hand to the sick man； with the other she raised him to a
sitting posture that he might drink it。
With his fleshless； eager fingers Toupillier clutched the glass；
emptied it at a gulp； and exclaimed：
〃Ah！ that's a fine drop； that is！ though you've watered it。〃
〃You mustn't say that； uncle； I went and bought it myself of Pere
Legrelu； and I've given it you quite pure。 But you let me simmer the
rest； the doctor said I might then give you all you wanted。〃
Toupillier resigned himself with a shrug of the shoulders。 At the end
of fifteen minutes； the infusion being in condition to serve； Madame
Cardinal brought him； without further appeal； a full cup of it。
The avidity with which the old pauper drank it down prevented him from
noticing at first that the wine was drugged； but as he swallowed the
last drops he tasted the sickly and nauseating flavor； and flinging
the cup on the bed he cried out that some one was trying to poison
him。
〃Poison！ nonsense！〃 said the fishwife； pouring into her own mouth a
few drops of that which remained in the bottle； declaring to the old
man that if the wine did not seem to him the same as usual； it was
because his mouth had a 〃bad taste to it。〃
Before the end of the dispute； which lasted some time； the narcotic
began to take effect； and at the end of an hour the sick man was sound
asleep。
While idly waiting for Cerizet； an idea took possession of the
Cardinal's mind。 She thought that in view of their comings and goings
with the treasure； it would be well if the vigilance of the Perrache
husband and wife could be dulled in some manner。 Consequently； after
carefully flinging the refuse poppy…heads into the privy； she called
to the portress：
〃Madame Perrache； come up and taste his wine。 Wouldn't you have
thought to hear him talk he was ready to drink a cask of it？ Well； a
cupful satisfied him。〃
〃Your health！〃 said the portress； touching glasses with the Cardinal；
who was careful to have hers filled with the unboiled wine。 Less
accomplished as a gourmet than the old beggar； Madame Perrache
perceived nothing in the insidious liquid （cold by the time she drank
it） to make her suspect its narcotic character； on the contrary； she
declared it was 〃velvet；〃 and wished that her husband were there to
have a share in the treat。 After a rather long gossip； the two women
separated。 Then； with the cooked meat she had provided for herself；
and the remains of the Roussillon； Madame Cardinal made a repast which
she finished off with a siesta。 Without mentioning the emotions of the
day； the influence of one of the most heady wines of the country would
have sufficed to explain the soundness of her sleep； when she woke
darkness was coming on。
Her first care was to give a glance at her patient； his sleep was
restless； and he was dreaming aloud。
〃Diamonds；〃 he said； 〃those diamonds？ At my death； but not before。〃
〃Gracious！〃 thought Madame Cardinal； 〃that was the one thing lacking；
diamonds！ that he should have diamonds！〃
Then； as Toupillier seemed to be in the grasp of a violent nightmare；
she leaned over him so as not to lose a word of his speech； hoping to
gather from it some important revelation。 At this moment a slight rap
given to the door； from which the careful nurse had removed the key；
announced the arrival of Cerizet。
〃Well？〃 he said； on entering。
〃He has taken the drug。 He's been sound asleep these two hours； just
now； in dreaming； he was talking of diamonds。〃
〃Well；〃 said Cerizet； 〃it wouldn't be surprising if we found some。
These paupers when they set out to be rich； like to pile up
everything。〃
〃Ah ca！〃 cried the Cardinal； sudde