coming.

A little later, stopping before the door of the office in which Perrine
sat, he said in a low voice from the doorway:

"Tell me what happened with William."

Perrine thought that if she frankly replied to his question she would
not be revealing any serious matter, so she related exactly what had
occurred.

"Ah, good," he said, more at ease. "Now, if he should come to me and
ask to be taken back I'll settle with him."

Later on Fabry and Mombleux put the same question to her, for everyone
now knew that little Perrine had had to drive the chief home because his
coachman had been too drunk to hold the reins.

"It's a miracle that he hasn't upset the boss a dozen times," said
Fabry, "for he drives like a crazy creature when he's drunk. He should
have been sent off long ago."

"Yes, and he would have been," said Mombleux, smiling, "if certain ones
who wanted his help had not done all they could to keep him."

Perrine became all attention.

"They'll make a face when they see that he's gone, but I'll give William
his due: he didn't know that he was spying."

They were silent while Zenobie came in to change the plates. They had
not thought that the pretty little girl in the corner was listening to
their conversation. After Zenobie had left the room they went on with
their talk.

"But what if the son returns?" asked Mombleux.

"Well, most of us want him back, for the old man's getting old," said
Fabry; "but perhaps he's dead."

"That might be," agreed Mombleux. "Talouel's so ambitious he'd stop at
nothing. He wants to own the place, and he'll get it if he can."

"Yes, and who knows? Maybe he had a hand in keeping M. Edmond away.
Neither of us were here at the time, but you might be sure that Talouel
would work out things to his own interests."

"I hadn't thought of that."

"Yes, and at that time he didn't know that there'd be others to take the
place of M. Edmond. I'm not sure what he's scheming to get, but it's
something big."

"Yes, and he's doing some dirty work for sure, and only think, when he
was twenty years old he couldn't write his own name."

Rosalie came into the room at this moment and asked Perrine if she would
like to go on an errand with her. Perrine could not refuse. She had
finished her dinner some time ago, and if she remained in her corner she
would soon awaken their suspicions.

It was a quiet evening. The people sat at their street doors chatting.
After Rosalie had finished