archdeacon, who had abandoned the dumbfounded
Charmolue where he stood, had approached them and halted a few paces
distant, watching them without their noticing him, so deeply were they
absorbed in contemplation of the purse.

Phoebus exclaimed: "A purse in your pocket, Jehan! 'tis the moon in a
bucket of water, one sees it there but 'tis not there. There is nothing
but its shadow. Pardieu! let us wager that these are pebbles!"

Jehan replied coldly: "Here are the pebbles wherewith I pave my fob!"

And without adding another word, he emptied the purse on a neighboring
post, with the air of a Roman saving his country.

"True God!" muttered Phoebus, "targes, big-blanks, little blanks,
mailles,* every two worth one of Tournay, farthings of Paris, real eagle
liards! 'Tis dazzling!"

* An ancient copper coin, the forty-fourth part of a sou or
the twelfth part of a farthing.

Jehan remained dignified and immovable. Several liards had rolled into
the mud; the captain in his enthusiasm stooped to pick them up. Jehan
restrained him.

"Fye, Captain Phoebus de Chateaupers!"

Phoebus counted the coins, and turning towards Jehan with solemnity, "Do
you know, Jehan, that there are three and twenty sous parisis! whom have
you plundered to-night, in the Street Cut-Weazand?"

Jehan flung back his blonde and curly head, and said, half-closing his
eyes disdainfully,--

"We have a brother who is an archdeacon and a fool."

"_Corne de Dieu_!" exclaimed Phoebus, "the worthy man!"

"Let us go and drink," said Jehan.

"Where shall we go?" said Phoebus; "'To Eve's Apple.'"

"No, captain, to 'Ancient Science.' An old woman sawing a basket
handle*; 'tis a rebus, and I like that."

* _Une vielle qui scie une anse_.

"A plague on rebuses, Jehan! the wine is better at 'Eve's Apple'; and
then, beside the door there is a vine in the sun which cheers me while I
am drinking."

"Well! here goes for Eve and her apple," said the student, and taking
Phoebus's arm. "By the way, my dear captain, you just mentioned the Rue
Coupe-Gueule* That is a very bad form of speech; people are no longer so
barbarous. They say, Coupe-Gorge**."

* Cut-Weazand Street.

** Cut-Throat Street.

The two friends set out towards "Eve's Apple." It is unnecessary
to mention that they had first gathered up the money, and that the
archdeacon followed them.

The archdeacon followed them, gloomy and haggard. Was this the Phoeb