like so many of his comrades were, got into a rage and made up
his mind to set the matter straight, and so discover who this aunt of
his mistress's was, who had so suddenly fallen from the skies.

"He necessarily applied to an obliging agency, where they excited his
jealousy, exasperated him day after day by making him believe that
Josine Cadenette was making an absolute fool of him, had no more a sick
aunt than she had any virtue, but that during the day she continued the
little debaucheries which she committed with him at night, and that she
shamelessly frequented some discreet bachelor's lodgings, where more
than probably one of his own best friends was amusing himself at his
expense, and having his share of the cake. He was fool enough to
believe these fellows, instead of going and watching Josine himself,
putting his nose into the business and going and knocking at the door of
her room. He wanted to hear no more, and would not listen to her. For a
trifle, in spite of her tears, he would have turned the poor thing into
the streets, as if she had been a bundle of dirty linen. You may guess
how she flew out at him and told him all sorts of things to annoy him;
she let him believe he was not mistaken, that she had had enough of his
affection, and that she was madly in love with another man. He grew very
pale when she said that, looked at her furiously, clenched his teeth and
said in a hoarse voice:

"'Tell me his name, tell me his name!'

"'Oh!' she said, chaffingly, 'you know him very well!' and if I had not
happened to have gone in I think there would have been a tragedy.... How
stupid they are, and they were so happy and loved each other so.... And
now Josine is living with fat Schweinsshon, a low scoundrel who will
live upon her and Servance has taken up with Sophie Labisque, who might
easily be his mother; you know her, that bundle of red and yellow, who
has been at that kind of thing for eighteen years, and whom Laglandee
has christened, '_Saecula saeculorum_!'"

"By Jove! I should rather think I did!"

A USEFUL HOUSE

Royamount's fat sides shook with laughter at the mere recollection of
the funny story that he had promised to his friends, and throwing
himself back in the great arm-chair, which he completely filled, _that
picker up of bits of pinchbeck_, as they called him at the club, at last
said:

"It is perfectly true, Bordenave does not owe anyone a penny and can go
through any street he lik