sure 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,
in a low tone.

When they met, Cerizet had the bad taste to try to explain the
disreputable position in which he had just been detected.

"But," said du Portail, "in order to see you there, I had to be there
myself."

"True," returned Cerizet. "I was rather surprised to see a quiet
inhabitant of the Saint-Sulpice quarter in such a place."

"It merely proves to you," said the little old man, in a tone which cut
short all explanation, and all curiosity, "that I am in the habit of
going pretty nearly everywhere, and that my star leads me into the path
of those persons whom I wish to meet. I was thinking of you at the very
moment you came in. Well, what have you done?"

"Nothing good," replied Cerizet. "After playing me a devilish trick
which deprived me of a magnificent bit of business, our man rejected
your overture with scorn. There is no hope whatever in that claim of
Dutocq's; for la Peyrade is chock-full of money; he wanted to pay the
notes just now, and to-morrow morning he will certainly do so."

"Does he regard his marriage to this Demoiselle Colleville as a settled
thing?