ny of them regard as a species
of prospectus.

"I've come for some money," said Bixiou, laughing, and presenting his
notes.

Vauvinet assumed a serious air, which made Gazonal smile, such
difference was there between the smiling visage that received them and
the countenance of the money-lender recalled to business.

"My dear fellow," said Vauvinet, looking at Bixiou, "I should certainly
oblige you with the greatest pleasure, but I haven't any money to loan
at the present time."

"Ah, bah!"

"No; I have given all I had to--you know who. That poor Lousteau
went into partnership for the management of a theatre with an old
vaudevillist who has great influence with the ministry, Ridal; and they
came to me yesterday for thirty thousand francs. I'm cleaned out, and
so completely that I was just in the act of sending to Cerizet for
a hundred louis, when I lost at lansquenet this morning, at Jenny
Cadine's."

"You must indeed me hard-up if you can't oblige this poor Bixiou," said
Leon de Lora; "for he can be very sharp-tongued when he hasn't a sou."

"Well," said Bixiou, "I could never say anything but good of Vauvinet;
he's full of goods."

"My dear friend," said Vauvinet, "if I had the money, I couldn't
possibly discount, even at fifty per cent, notes which are drawn by your
porter. Ravenouillet's paper isn't in demand. He's not a Rothschild.
I warn you that his notes are worn thin; you had better invent another
firm. Find an uncle. As for a friend who'll sign notes for us there's
no such being to be found; the matter-of-factness of the present age is
making awful progress."

"I have a friend," said Bixiou, motioning to Leon's cousin. "Monsieur
here; one of the most distinguished manufacturers of cloth in the South,
named Gazonal. His hair is not very well dressed," added Bixiou, looking
at the touzled and luxuriant crop on the provincial's head, "but I
am going to take him to Marius, who will make him look less like a
poodle-dog, an appearance so injurious to his credit, and to ours."

"I don't believe in Southern securities, be it said without offence to
monsieur," replied Vauvinet, with whom Gazonal was so entertained that
he did not resent his insolence.

Gazonal, that extremely penetrating intellect, thought that the painter
and Bixiou intended, by way of teaching him to know Paris, to make him
pay the thousand francs for his breakfast at the Cafe de Paris, for this
son of the Pyrenees had never got out of