l of thirty francs. But thirty francs a day is nine
hundred francs at the end of the month. And he did not reckon in the
cost of clothes, boots, linen, washing, etc.

So on the 14th December he found himself without a sou in his pocket,
and without a notion in his mind how to get any money. He went, as he
had often done of old, without lunch, and passed the afternoon working
at the newspaper office, angry and preoccupied. About four o'clock he
received a telegram from his mistress, running: "Shall we dine together,
and have a lark afterwards?"

He at once replied: "Cannot dine." Then he reflected that he would be
very stupid to deprive himself of the pleasant moments she might afford
him, and added: "But will wait at nine at our place." And having sent
one of the messengers with this, to save the cost of a telegram, he
began to reflect what he should do to procure himself a dinner.

At seven o'clock he had not yet hit upon anything and a terrible hunger
assailed him. Then he had recourse to the stratagem of a despairing man.
He let all his colleagues depart, one after the other, and when he was
alone rang sharply. Monsieur Walter's messenger, left in charge of the
offices, came in. Duroy was standing feeling in his pockets, and said in
an abrupt voice: "Foucart, I have left my purse at home, and I have to
go and dine at the Luxembourg. Lend me fifty sous for my cab."

The man took three francs from his waistcoat pocket and said: "Do you
want any more, sir?"

"No, no, that will be enough. Thanks."

And having seized on the coins, Duroy ran downstairs and dined at a
slap-bank, to which he drifted on his days of poverty.

At nine o'clock he was awaiting his mistress, with his feet on the
fender, in the little sitting-room. She came in, lively and animated,
brisked up by the keen air of the street. "If you like," said she, "we
will first go for a stroll, and then come home here at eleven. The
weather is splendid for walking."

He replied, in a grumbling tone: "Why go out? We are very comfortable
here."

She said, without taking off her bonnet: "If you knew, the moonlight is
beautiful. It is splendid walking about to-night."

"Perhaps so, but I do not care for walking about!"

He had said this in an angry fashion. She was struck and hurt by it, and
asked: "What is the matter with you? Why do you go on in this way? I
should like to go for a stroll, and I don't see how that can vex you."

He got up in a rage. "It