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〃Better still； I am authorized to offer it to you； in fact； I might
say that I am charged to do so。〃
〃My friend； you are poking fun at me； unless； indeed； this phoenix has
some hideous or prohibitory defect。〃
〃Well； I'll admit；〃 said Cerizet； 〃that there is a slight objection；
not on the score of family； for； to tell the truth； the young woman
has none〃
〃Ah！〃 said la Peyrade； 〃a natural childWell； what next？〃
〃Next； she is not so very young；something like twenty…nine or so；
but there's nothing easier than to turn an elderly girl into a young
widow if you have imagination。〃
〃Is that all the venom in it？〃
〃Yes； all that is irreparable。〃
〃What do you mean by that？ Is it a case of rhinoplasty？〃
Addressed to Cerizet the word had an aggressive air； which； in fact；
was noticeable since the beginning of the dinner in the whole manner
and conversation of the barrister。 But it did not suit the purpose of
the negotiator to resent it。
〃No；〃 he replied； 〃our nose is as well made as our foot and our waist；
but we may； perhaps； have a slight touch of hysteria。〃
〃Oh！ very good；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃and as from hysteria to insanity
there is but a step〃
〃Well； yes；〃 interrupted Cerizet； hastily； 〃sorrows have affected our
brain slightly； but the doctors are unanimous in their diagnosis； they
all say that after the birth of the first child not a trace will
remain of this little trouble。〃
〃I am willing to admit that doctors are infallible；〃 replied la
Peyrade； 〃but； in spite of your discouragement； you must allow me； my
friend； to persist in my suit to Mademoiselle Colleville。 Perhaps it
is ridiculous to confess it； but the truth is I am gradually falling
in love with that little girl。 It isn't that her beauty is
resplendent； or that the glitter of her 'dot' has dazzled me； but I
find in that child a great fund of sound sense joined to simplicity；
and； what to mind is of greater consequence； her sincere and solid
piety attracts me； I think a husband ought to be very happy with her。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Cerizet； who； having been on the stage； may very well have
known his Moliere； 〃this marriage will crown your wishes with all
good； it will be filled with sweetness and with pleasures。〃
The allusion to Tartuffe was keenly felt by la Peyrade； who took it up
and said； hotly：
〃The contact with innocence will disinfect me of the vile atmosphere
in which I have lived too long。〃
〃And you will pay your notes of hand；〃 added Cerizet； 〃which I advise
you to do with the least possible delay； for Dutocq here was saying to
me just now that he would like to see the color of your money。〃
〃I？ not at all；〃 interposed Dutocq。 〃I think； on the contrary； that
our friend has a right to the delay。〃
〃Well；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃I agree with Cerizet。 I hold that the less a
debt is due； and therefore the more insecure and open to contention it
is； the sooner one ought to free one's self by paying it。〃
〃But； my dear la Peyrade；〃 said Dutocq； 〃why take this bitter tone？〃
Pulling from his pocket a portfolio； la Peyrade said：
〃Have you those notes with you； Dutocq？〃
〃Faith！ no； my dear fellow；〃 replied Dutocq； 〃I don't carry them about
with me； besides； they are in Cerizet's hands。〃
〃Well；〃 said the barrister； rising； 〃whenever you come to my house
I'll pay you on the nail； as Cerizet can tell you。〃
〃What！ are you going to leave us without your coffee？〃 said Cerizet；
amazed to the last degree。
〃Yes； I have an arbitration case at eight o'clock。 Besides； we have
said all we had to say。 You haven't your lease； but you've got your
twenty five thousand francs in full； and those of Dutocq are ready for
him whenever he chooses to come to my office。 I see nothing now to
prevent me from going where my private business calls me； and I
therefore very cordially bid you good…bye。〃
〃Ah ca！ Dutocq；〃 cried Cerizet； as la Peyrade disappeared； 〃this means
a rupture。〃
〃Prepared with the utmost care；〃 added Dutocq。 〃Did you notice the air
with which he pulled out that pocket…book？〃
〃But where the devil；〃 said the usurer； 〃could he have got the money？〃
〃Probably；〃 replied Dutocq； sarcastically； 〃where he got that with
which he paid you in full for those notes you sold at a sacrifice。〃
〃My dear Dutocq；〃 said Cerizet； 〃I'll explain to you the circumstances
under which that insolent fellow freed himself； and you'll see if he
didn't rob me of fifteen thousand francs。〃
〃Possibly； but you； my worthy clerk； were trying to get ten thousand
away from me。〃
〃No； no； I was positively ordered to buy up your claim； and you ought
to remember that my offer had risen to twenty thousand when Theodose
came in。〃
〃Well；〃 said Dutocq； 〃when we leave here we'll go to your house； where
you will give me those notes； for； you'll understand that to…morrow
morning； at the earliest decent hour； I shall go to la Peyrade's
office； I don't mean to let his paying humor cool。〃
〃And right you are； for I can tell you now that before long there'll
be a fine upset in his life。〃
〃Then the thing is really seriousthis tale of a crazy woman you want
him to marry？ I must say that in his place； with these money…matters
evidently on the rise； I should have backed out of your proposals just
as he did。 Ninas and Ophelias are all very well on the stage； but in a
home〃
〃In a home； when they bring a 'dot；' we can be their guardian；〃
replied Cerizet； sententiously。 〃In point of fact； we get a fortune
and not a wife。〃
〃Well；〃 said Dutocq； 〃that's one way to look at it。〃
〃If you are willing；〃 said Cerizet； 〃let us go and take our coffee
somewhere else。 This dinner has turned out so foolishly that I want to
get out of this room； where there's no air。〃 He rang for the waiter。
〃Garcon！〃 he said； 〃the bill。〃
〃Monsieur； it is paid。〃
〃Paid！ by whom？〃
〃By the gentleman who just went out。〃
〃But this is outrageous；〃 cried Cerizet。 〃I ordered the dinner； and
you allow some one else to pay for it！〃
〃It wasn't I； monsieur；〃 said the waiter； 〃the gentleman went and paid
the 'dame du comptoir'； she must have thought it was arranged between
you。 Besides； it is not so uncommon for gentlemen to have friendly
disputes about paying。〃
〃That's enough；〃 said Cerizet； dismissing the waiter。
〃Won't these gentlemen take their coffee？it is paid for；〃 said the
man before he left the room。
〃A good reason for not taking it；〃 replied Cerizet； angrily。 〃It is
really inconceivable that in a house of this kind such an egregious
blunder should be committed。 What do you think of such insolence？〃 he
added； when the waiter had left the room。
〃Bah！〃 exclaimed Dutocq； taking his hat； 〃it is a schoolboy
proceeding； he wanted to show he had money； it is easy to see he never
had any before。〃
〃No； no！ that's not it；〃 said Cerizet； 〃he meant to mark the rupture。
'I will not owe you even a dinner；' is what he says to me。〃
〃But； after all；〃 said Dutocq； 〃this banquet was given to celebrate
your enthronement as principal tenant of the grand house。 Well； he has
failed to get you the lease； and I can understand that his conscience
was uneasy at letting you pay for a dinner which； like those notes of
mine； were an 'obligation without cause。'〃
Cerizet made no reply to this malicious observation。 They had reached
the counter where reigned the dame who had permitted the improper
payment； and； for the sake of his dignity； the usurer thought it
proper to make a fuss。 After which the two men departed； and the
copying…clerk took his employer to a low coffee…house in the Passage
du Saumon。 There Cerizet recovered his good…humor； he was like a fish
out of water suddenly returned to his native element； for he had
reached that state of degradation when he felt ill at ease in places
frequented by good society； and it was with a sort of sensuous
pleasure that he felt himself back in the vulgar place where they were
noisily playing pool for the benefit of a 〃former conqueror of the
Bastille。〃
In this establishment Cerizet enjoyed the fame of being a skilful
billiard…player； and he was now entreated to take part in a game
already begun。 In technical language； he 〃bought his ball〃； that is；
one of the players sold him his turn and his chances。 Dutocq profited
by this arrangement to slip away； on pretence of inquiring for a sick
friend。
Presently； in his shirt…sleeves； with a pipe between his lips； Cerizet
made one of those masterly strokes which bring down the house with
frantic applause。 As he waited a moment； looking about him
triumphantly； his eye lighted on a terrible kill…joy。 Standing among
the spectators with his chin on his cane； du Portail was steadily
watching him。
A tinge of red showed itself in Cerizet's cheeks。 He hesitated to bow
or to recognize the old gentleman； a most unlikely person to meet in
such a place。 Not knowing how to take the unpleasant encounter； he
went on playing； but his hand betrayed his uneasiness； and presently
an unlucky stroke threw him out of the game。 While he was putting on
his coat in a tolerably ill…humor； du Portail passed； almost brushing
him； on his way to the door。
〃Rue Montmartre； at the farther end of the Passage；〃 said the old man