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hard！〃
〃What discount do you want？〃 asked Bixiou。
〃Next to nothing；〃 returned Vauvinet。 〃It will cost you a miserable
fifty francs at the end of the quarter。〃
〃As Emile Blondet used to say； you shall be my benefactor；〃 replied
Bixiou。
〃Twenty per cent！〃 whispered Gazonal to Bixiou； who replied by a punch
of his elbow in the provincial's oesophagus。
〃Bless me！〃 said Vauvinet opening a drawer in his desk as if to put
away the Ravenouillet notes； 〃here's an old bill of five hundred
francs stuck in the drawer！ I didn't know I was so rich。 And here's a
note payable at the end of the month for four hundred and fifty；
Cerizet will take it without much diminution； and there's your sum in
hand。 But no nonsense； Bixiou！ Hein？ to…night； at Carabine's； will you
swear to me〃
〃Haven't we RE…friended？〃 said Bixiou； pocketing the five…hundred…
franc bill and the note for four hundred and fifty。 〃I give you my
word of honor that you shall see du Tillet； and many other men who
want to make their waytheir railwayto…night at Carabine's。〃
Vauvinet conducted the three friends to the landing of the staircase；
cajoling Bixiou on the way。 Bixiou kept a grave face till he reached
the outer door； listening to Gazonal； who tried to enlighten him on
his late operation； and to prove to him that if Vauvinet's follower；
Cerizet； took another twenty francs out of his four hundred and fifty；
he was getting money at forty per cent。
When they reached the asphalt Bixiou frightened Gazonal by the laugh
of a Parisian hoaxer；that cold； mute laugh； a sort of labial north
wind。
〃The assignment of the contract for that railway is adjourned；
positively； by the Chamber； I heard this yesterday from that marcheuse
whom we smiled at just now。 If I win five or six thousand francs at
lansquenet to…night； why should I grudge sixty…five francs for the
power to stake； hey？〃
〃Lansquenet is another of the thousand facets of Paris as it is；〃 said
Leon。 〃And therefore； cousin； I intend to present you to…night in the
salon of a duchess；a duchess of the rue Saint…Georges； where you
will see the aristocracy of the lorettes； and probably be able to win
your lawsuit。 But it is quite impossible to present you anywhere with
that mop of Pyrenean hair； you look like a porcupine； and therefore
we'll take you close by； Place de la Bourse； to Marius； another of our
comedians〃
〃Who is he？〃
〃I'll tell you his tale；〃 said Bixiou。 〃In the year 1800 a Toulousian
named Cabot； a young wig…maker devoured by ambition； came to Paris；
and set up a shop （I use your slang）。 This man of genius；he now has
an income of twenty…four thousand francs a year； and lives； retired
from business； at Libourne；well； he saw that so vulgar and ignoble a
name as Cabot could never attain celebrity。 Monsieur de Parny； whose
hair he cut； gave him the name of Marius； infinitely superior； you
perceive； to the Christian names of Armand and Hippolyte； behind which
patronymics attacked by the Cabot evil are wont to hide。 All the
successors of Cabot have called themselves Marius。 The present Marius
is Marius V。； his real name is Mongin。 This occurs in various other
trades； for 'Botot water；' and for 'Little…Virtue' ink。 Names become
commercial property in Paris； and have ended by constituting a sort of
ensign of nobility。 The present Marius； who takes pupils； has created；
he says； the leading school of hair…dressing in the world。
〃I've seen； in coming through France；〃 said Gazonal； 〃a great many
signs bearing the words： 'Such a one； pupil of Marius。'〃
〃His pupils have to wash their hands after every head；〃 said Bixiou；
〃but Marius does not take them indifferently； they must have nice
hands； and not be ill…looking。 The most remarkable for manners；
appearance； and elocution are sent out to dress heads； and they come
back tired to death。 Marius himself never turns out except for titled
women； he drives his cabriolet and has a groom。〃
〃But； after all； he is nothing but a barber！〃 cried Gazonal； somewhat
shocked。
〃Barber！〃 exclaimed Bixiou； 〃please remember that he is captain in the
National Guard； and is decorated for being the first to spring into a
barricade in 1832。〃
〃And take care what you say to him： he is neither barber； hair…
dresser； nor wig…maker； he is a director of salons for hair…dressing；〃
said Leon； as they went up a staircase with crystal balusters and
mahogany rail； the steps of which were covered with a sumptuous
carpet。
〃Ah ca！ mind you don't compromise us；〃 said Bixiou。 〃In the
antechamber you'll see lacqueys who will take off your coat； and seize
your hat； to brush them； and they'll accompany you to the door of the
salons to open and shut it。 I mention this； friend Gazonal；〃 added
Bixiou； slyly； 〃lest you might think they were after your property；
and cry 'Stop thief！'〃
〃These salons；〃 said Leon； 〃are three boudoirs where the director has
collected all the inventions of modern luxury： lambrequins to the
windows； jardinieres everywhere； downy divans where each customer can
wait his turn and read the newspapers。 You might suppose； when you
first go in； that five francs would be the least they'd get out of
your waistcoat pocket； but nothing is ever extracted beyond ten sous
for combing and frizzing your hair； or twenty sous for cutting and
frizzing。 Elegant dressing…tables stand about among the jardinieres；
water is laid on to the washstands； enormous mirrors reproduce the
whole figure。 Therefore don't look astonished。 When the client （that's
the elegant word substituted by Marius for the ignoble word customer）；
when the client appears at the door； Marius gives him a glance which
appraises him： to Marius you are a HEAD； more or less susceptible of
occupying his mind。 To him there's no mankind； there are only heads。〃
〃We let you hear Marius on all the notes of his scale；〃 said Bixiou；
〃and you know how to follow our lead。〃
As soon as Gazonal showed himself； the glance was given； and was
evidently favourable； for Marius exclaimed： 〃Regulus！ yours this head！
Prepare it first with the little scissors。〃
〃Excuse me；〃 said Gazonal to the pupil； at a sign from Bixiou。 〃I
prefer to have my head dressed by Monsieur Marius himself。〃
Marius； much flattered by this demand； advanced； leaving the head on
which he was engaged。
〃I am with you in a moment； I am just finishing。 Pray have no
uneasiness； my pupil will prepare you； I alone will decide the cut。〃
Marius； a slim little man； his hair frizzed like that of Rubini； and
jet black； dressed also in black； with long white cuffs； and the frill
of his shirt adorned with a diamond； now saw Bixiou； to whom he bowed
as to a power the equal of his own。
〃That is only an ordinary head；〃 he said to Leon； pointing to the
person on whom he was operating；〃a grocer； or something of that
kind。 But if we devoted ourselves to art only； we should lie in
Bicetre； mad！〃 and he turned back with an inimitable gesture to his
client； after saying to Regulus； 〃Prepare monsieur； he is evidently an
artist。〃
〃A journalist；〃 said Bixiou。
Hearing that word； Marius gave two or three strokes of the comb to the
ordinary head and flung himself upon Gazonal； taking Regulus by the
arm at the instant that the pupil was about to begin the operation of
the little scissors。
〃I will take charge of monsieur。 Look； monsieur；〃 he said to the
grocer； 〃reflect yourself in the great mirrorif the mirror permits。
Ossian！〃
A lacquey entered； and took hold of the client to dress him。
〃You pay at the desk； monsieur；〃 said Marius to the stupefied grocer；
who was pulling out his purse。
〃Is there any use； my dear fellow；〃 said Bixiou； 〃in going through
this operation of the little scissors？〃
〃No head ever comes to me uncleansed；〃 replied the illustrious hair…
dresser； 〃but for your sake； I will do that of monsieur myself；
wholly。 My pupils sketch out the scheme； or my strength would not hold
out。 Every one says as you do： 'Dressed by Marius！' Therefore； I can
give only the finishing strokes。 What journal is monsieur on？〃
〃If I were you； I should keep three or four Mariuses；〃 said Gazonal。
〃Ah！ monsieur； I see； is a feuilletonist；〃 said Marius。 〃Alas！ in
dressing heads which expose us to notice it is impossible。 Excuse me！〃
He left Gazonal to overlook Regulus； who was 〃preparing〃 a newly
arrived head。 Tapping his tongue against his palate； he made a
disapproving noise； which may perhaps be written down as 〃titt； titt；
titt。〃
〃There； there！ good heavens！ that cut is not square； your scissors are
hacking it。 Here！ see there！ Regulus； you are not clipping poodles；
these are menwho have a character； if you continue to look at the
ceiling instead of looking only between the glass and the head； you
will dishonor my house。〃
〃You are stern； Monsieur Marius。〃
〃I owe them t