The Mysteries of Paris, vol 3 | Page 4

believe; something like those worn by the little broom girls."
"Like the Alsatians? it is very natural, since she is an Alsatian."
"You don't say so!"
"But I do! what is it that surprises you? The burnt child shuns the fire!"
"Chalamel! what relation between your proverb and this cap?"
"There is none."
"Why did you say it, then?"
"Because a benefit is never lost, and the dog is a friend of man!"
"Hold! If Chalamel opens his budget of proverbs, which mean nothing, we are in for it. Come, tell us what you know of this new servant."
"The day before yesterday I was out in the yard: she had her back toward one of the windows of the ground-floor."
"The yard's back?"
"What stupidity! No, the servant's. The glasses are so dirty that I could see nothing of her figure; but I could see her cherry-colored cap, and a profusion of curls, as black as jet; for she wears her hair in short curls."
"I am sure that the governor would not have seen through his spectacles as much as you did; for here you have one, as they say, who, if he remained alone with a woman on the earth, the world would soon come to an end."
"That is not astonishing. He laughs best who laughs last, and, moreover, punctuality is the politeness of kings."
"How wearisome Chalamel is when he lays himself out to it!"
"Tell me what company you keep, and I'll tell you what you are."
"Oh! how pretty!"
"As for me, I have an idea that it is superstition that stupefies the governor more and more."
"It is, perhaps, from penitence, that he gives us forty sous for our breakfast."
"The fact is, he must be crazy."
"Or sick."
"I think for the last two or three days he has been quite wild."
"Not that we see him so much. He who was, for our torment, in his cabinet from morning till night, and always at our backs, now has not, for two days, put his nose into the office."
"That is the reason the head clerk has so much to do."
"And that we are obliged to die with hunger in waiting for him."
"What a change in the office."
"Poor Germain would be much astonished if any one should say to him, 'Only fancy, my boy, the governor gives us forty sous for our breakfast;' 'Pshaw! it is impossible,' he would say. 'It is so possible that he has announced it to me, Chalamel, in my own person.' 'You are jesting.' 'I jest! This is the way it occurred: during two or three days which followed the death of Madame S��raphin, we had no breakfast at all. We liked that well enough, for no breakfast at all was better than that she gave us; but, on the other hand, our luncheon cost us money. However, we were patient, and said: "The governor has got no servant, no housekeeper, and when he gets one, we shall have to live on hash again." It wasn't so, my poor Germain: the old fellow finally employed a servant, and our breakfast was still buried in the river of oblivion. I was appointed a sort of deputy, to present to the governor the complaints of the stomach; he was with the principal clerk." I do not want to feed you in the morning," said he, in a gruff, surly tone; "my servant has no time to prepare your breakfast." "But, sir, you are bound to give us our morning meal." "Well, you may send out for your breakfast, and I will pay for it. How much do you want?--forty sous each?" added he, with some other subject evidently upon his mind, and mentioning, "forty sous," in the same manner that he would have said twenty sous, or a hundred sous. "Yes, sir," I exclaimed, "forty sous, will do," catching the ball "on the fly." "Let it be so," answered the notary; "the head clerk will take charge of the expense, and I will settle with him." Thereupon the governor shut the door in my face.' You must confess, gentleman that Germain would be astonished at the extraordinary liberality of the governor."
"Germain would say: 'The governor is out of his head.'"
"And forty sous a-head out of his pocket," said Chalamel.
"Well done! the first chemist was right who said: 'Bitter as Calomel!'"
"Seriously, I believe that the governor is sick."
"For ten days past, he is scarcely to be recognized. His cheeks are so hollow, that you might thrust in your fist."
"And he is so absent-minded, that it is curious to see him. The other day he took off his glasses to read a deed; his eyes were red as live coals."
"He was right; short reckonings make long friends."
"For heaven's sake, don't cut me with your saws. I tell you, gentlemen, that it is very singular. It was upside down."
"Which was upside down?--the deed or