--yes--master,' sobbed forth the wretched boy. 'And I'll tell
you what I'll do further, to make up for the scratches you have got from
the monkey, I'll let you share in a good breakfast I meant to order
from our worthy Doyen's excellent larder; I intend having a dish of
mutton-chops and pickles, four bottles of wine, and a pint of brandy.'
'Much obliged to you,' answered Le Doyen; 'all shall be sent as you
desire. Few men have a better cellar or more tempting larder, and the
contents of both are at the service of all who can pay for them.'

"Le Doyen was not a bad sort of a man, but it must be remembered that he
had his living to get, and, therefore, so that he disposed of his
eatables and drinkables at a sufficient profit, he cared but little who
it was in that case,--friend or foe were quite alike to him. The beggar,
Cut-in-Half, knew well enough where his weak side lay, so he hit upon
this method of getting rid of him, in high good humour at having by his
visit not only ascertained the safety of Gringalet, but also obtained a
good order. And now was the unfortunate child thrown into the hands of
his master, past all hopes of safety; for no sooner had Le Doyen turned
his back than Cut-in-Half, pointing to the staircase with a dreadful
frown, bade the trembling lad betake himself to his garret without loss
of time; and the frightened child, glad at any rate to be freed from the
monkey and his master, did not require a second bidding, but made off as
fast as his strength permitted him. When Gringalet reached his own
wretched chamber, he threw himself on the dirty straw allotted him for a
bed beside his tortoise, and wept as though his heart were breaking. 'He
will surely kill me!' cried the miserable boy, as he reflected on the
cruelty of his master and his own inability to escape from him. 'What
shall I do? Oh, how I wish I were dead and in my grave!' Thus he
remained sobbing and lamenting for more than an hour, when he was roused
by hearing the coarse voice of Cut-in-Half calling upon him to descend.
And the terror of the boy was still further increased by discovering a
considerable alteration in the rough tones of his master. 'Now, then!'
roared out the brutal man, with a torrent of oaths, 'are you coming
down, or must I fetch you?' The unhappy child almost slid down the
ladder in his haste to descend, but scarcely had he reached the bottom
than Cut-in-Half seized hold of him, and dragged him to his own room,
stumblin