ette filled
with horrid monsters, with their equally abominable master, whom you can
see drawn amongst them. You may know him by his steeple-crowned hat."

And there, sure enough, on the door of the room Rodolph was about to
hire, might be seen a palette surrounded by all kinds of odd and
whimsical creatures, the witty conceit of which might have done honour
to Callot. Rodolph followed the porter into a tolerably good-sized room,
accessible by a small entrance-closet, or antechamber, having two
windows opening into the Rue du Temple. Some fantastic sketches from the
pencil of M. Cabrion, on the second door, had been scrupulously
respected by M. Germain. Rodolph saw too many reasons for desiring to
obtain this lodging to hesitate further; therefore, modestly placing a
couple of francs in the hand of the porter, he said:

[Illustration: "'_This, I Suppose, Is the Work of M. Cabrion_'"
Etching by Mercier, after the drawing by Frank T. Merrill]

"This chamber will exactly suit me. Here is a deposit to complete the
bargain. To-morrow I will send in my furniture; but let me beg of you
not to destroy the merry creatures painted on the palette at the
entrance. It is really very droll! Don't you think so?"

"Droll!" groaned poor Pipelet; "not I! Ah, sir, how would you like to
dream night after night that you were being hunted by a legion of little
ugly devils like these on the door, with Cabrion at their head urging
them on, and then fancying you are trying to get away, and cannot? Oh, I
have woke all in a perspiration from such dreams hundreds of times since
that infamous Cabrion began persecuting me."

"Why, honestly speaking, I cannot say the chase would be a very
agreeable one, even though but a dream. However, tell me, have I any
need to see M. Bras Rouge--your great man here--about renting this
apartment?"

"None whatever, sir. He rarely comes near the place, except when he has
any private matters to arrange with Mother Burette. I am the only person
to treat with about hiring apartments. I must beg the favour of your
name."

"Rodolph."

"Rodolph what?"

"Plain Rodolph, M. Pipelet,--nothing more, if you please."

"Just as you please, sir. I did not ask from curiosity. Every man has a
right to his own free will, as well as to decide upon the name he
chooses to be called."

"What do you think, M. Pipelet, as to the propriety of my going
to-morrow, as a new neighbour of Morel's, to inquire whether I can be of
an