u shall be treated like a prince."

"Then for six francs a month, I may reckon upon your valuable services.
Will you permit me to ask your name?"

"Pomona Fortunata Anastasia Pipelet."

"Well, then, Madame Pipelet, having agreed as to your own terms, will
you be pleased to tell me those for the apartment I wish to engage?"

"With the adjoining small closet, one hundred and fifty francs a
month,--not a farthing less. The principal lessee is a screw,--a regular
skinflint."

"What is his name?"

"M. Bras Rouge."

This name, and the remembrances so unexpectedly presented by it, made
Rodolph start.

"I think, Madame Pipelet, you were saying that the principal lessee of
the house is----"

"M. Bras Rouge."

"And he lives----"

"Rue aux Feves, No. 13. He also keeps an estaminet near the Champs
Elysees."

All doubt was then at an end,--it was the Bras Rouge of infamous
notoriety; and singular indeed did the circumstance of thus coming
across him strike Rodolph.

"But though M. Bras Rouge is your principal lessee, he is not, I
presume, the owner of the house; may I ask who is?"

"M. Bourdon; but I have never had communication with any one besides M.
Bras Rouge."

With the design of still further ingratiating himself with the
porteress, Rodolph resumed:

"My dear madame, this cold day would make a little of something warm and
comfortable very acceptable. Might I venture to solicit the favour of
your stepping as far as the spirit-shop, kept so conveniently at hand,
and bring a bottle of cassia and two glasses? For I feel very tired, and
the cold has quite seized me. Stay, madame, we will have three glasses,
if you please; because I hope your husband will join us when he
returns."

So saying, he placed a franc in the fat, dirty hand of the porteress.

"Ah, monsieur, you are determined to make us all fall in love with you!"
cried Madame Pipelet, nodding her approval of the commission, and
thereby sending the flush of pleasure into a face glowing with all the
fiery honours of an excited Bacchante.

"To be sure! There is nothing like a drop of really good cordial such a
day as this; and they do keep most excellent here at hand. I'll go,--of
course I will; but I shall only bring a couple of glasses, for Alfred
and I always drink out of the same glass. Poor old darling! he is so
very nice and particular in showing all those sort of delicate
attentions to women."

"Then go along, my good Madame Pipelet, and we