r you here, lest Etienne should bamboozle
you," continued Finot, looking knowingly at Lucien. "This gentleman will
be paid three francs per column all round, including theatres."

"You have never taken any one on such terms before," said Giroudeau,
opening his eyes.

"And he will take the four Boulevard theatres. See that nobody sneaks
his boxes, and that he gets his share of tickets.--I should advise you,
nevertheless, to have them sent to your address," he added, turning to
Lucien.--"And he agrees to write besides ten miscellaneous articles of
two columns each, for fifty francs per month, for one year. Does that
suit you?"

"Yes," said Lucien. Circumstances had forced his hand.

"Draw up the agreement, uncle, and we will sign it when we come
downstairs."

"Who is the gentleman?" inquired Giroudeau, rising and taking off his
black silk skull-cap.

"M. Lucien de Rubempre, who wrote the article on _The Alcalde_."

"Young man, you have a gold mine _there_," said the old soldier, tapping
Lucien on the forehead. "I am not literary myself, but I read that
article of yours, and I liked it. That is the kind of thing! There's
gaiety for you! 'That will bring us new subscribers,' says I to myself.
And so it did. We sold fifty more numbers."

"Is my agreement with Lousteau made out in duplicate and ready to sign?"
asked Finot, speaking aside.

"Yes."

"Then ante-date this gentleman's agreement by one day, so that Lousteau
will be bound by the previous contract."

Finot took his new contributor's arm with a friendliness that charmed
Lucien, and drew him out on the landing to say:--

"Your position is made for you. I will introduce you to _my_ staff
myself, and to-night Lousteau will go round with you to the theatres.
You can make a hundred and fifty francs per month on this little paper
of ours with Lousteau as its editor, so try to keep well with him. The
rogue bears a grudge against me as it is, for tying his hands so far
as you are concerned; but you have ability, and I don't choose that you
shall be subjected to the whims of the editor. You might let me have
a couple of sheets every month for my review, and I will pay you two
hundred francs. This is between ourselves, don't mention it to anybody
else; I should be laid open to the spite of every one whose vanity
is mortified by your good fortune. Write four articles, fill your two
sheets, sign two with your own name, and two with a pseudonym, so that
you may not