FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156  
157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   >>   >|  
nd then turned with a smile to her brother. "That's all right; don't mind; I know that man," and in proof of the statement she held out a friendly hand to the individual who seemed to be spying upon them. "Good evening again, M. Julot: how are you, since I saw you just now? I did not notice you were here." Julot shook hands with her and without evincing any further interest in her, went on with the conversation he was having with his own companion, a clean-shaven fellow. "Go on, Billy Tom," he said in low tones. "Tell me what has happened." "Well, there has been the devil to pay at the Royal Palace, owing to that----accident, you know; of course I was not mixed up in it in any way: I'm only interpreter, and I stick to my own job. But three weeks after the affair, Muller was suddenly kicked out, owing to the door having been opened for the chap who worked the robbery." "Muller, Muller?" said Julot, seeming to be searching his memory. "Who is Muller?" "Why, the watchman on the second floor." "Oh, ah, yes; and who turned him out?" "I think his name is Juve." "Oh--ho!" Julot muttered to himself. "I thought as much!" There was a noise at the entrance of the hall, and down the corkscrew staircase came two people who, judging by the greeting they received, were very popular: Ernestine, a well-known figure, and Mealy Benoit, who was very drunk. Benoit lurched from one table to another, leaning on every head and pair of shoulders that came his way, and reached an empty seat on a lounge into which he crushed, half squashing the pale young man with the budding beard. The lad made no protest, seeming to be afraid of his neighbour's bulk, but merely wriggled sideways and tried to give the new-comer all the room he wanted. Benoit did not seem even to notice the humble little fellow, but Ernestine took pity on him and assured him that she would look after him. "All right, sonny," she said, "Mealy won't squash you; and if he tries any of his games on you, Ernestine will look after you." She took his head between her two hands and kissed his forehead affectionately, ignoring Mealy Benoit's angry protests. "He's a dear little chap: I like him," she said to the company at large. "What's your name, deary?" The boy blushed to the tips of his ears. "Paul," he murmured. But Francois Bonbonne the proprietor, with his usual keen eye to business, arrived just then and set down before Mealy Benoit the famous hot
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156  
157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Benoit
 

Muller

 

Ernestine

 

fellow

 

turned

 
notice
 
crushed
 

murmured

 
Francois
 

lounge


famous

 

budding

 
squashing
 

shoulders

 
business
 

figure

 
popular
 
lurched
 

protest

 

reached


Bonbonne

 

proprietor

 

leaning

 

squash

 

assured

 

kissed

 

forehead

 

affectionately

 

ignoring

 

protests


company

 
wriggled
 

sideways

 

afraid

 

neighbour

 
humble
 

arrived

 
wanted
 

blushed

 
conversation

companion
 

shaven

 
interest
 
evincing
 

happened

 

statement

 
friendly
 

brother

 
individual
 

evening