word.

It was the only instance of Madame Legendre having had to capitulate,
and I have alluded to it before; it remains for me to tell how it was
done.

Lapierre, contrary to the precept, allowed the sun to go down upon his
wrath, in the hope perhaps of inducing Madame Legendre to change her
oft-announced decision of doing no repairs; but he rose betimes next
morning, and when there was no sign of workmen, he proceeded to carry
out his plan. The floors of the "Childebert" were made of brick, and he
simply removed three or four squares from his, after which he went
downstairs and recruited half a dozen water-carriers, and bade them
empty their full pails into the opening he had made. I shall probably
have some remarks to make elsewhere about the water-supply of Paris; at
present it is sufficient to say that in those days there was not a
single house in the capital which was not dependent upon those
Auvergnats who carried the commodity round in barrels on carts drawn by
hand or horse. These gentlemen, though astonished at the strange task
required of them, consented. In less than ten minutes there was a string
of water-carts stationed in the Rue Childebert, and in a few minutes
more the lower stories were simply flooded. Aime Millet, the sculptor,
whose room was situated immediately beneath that of Lapierre, was the
first victim. It was he who gave the alarm, but, as a matter of course,
in the twinkling of an eye there were one or two heads at every window,
and though very early, there was a stampede of very primitively clad
models (?) into the street, shouting and yelling out at the top of their
voices. Outside no one seemed to know exactly what had occurred; the
prevailing impression was that the place was on fire. Then Madame
Legendre was sent for in hot haste. By that time the truth had become
known in the house. The alarm had subsided, but not the noise. When the
report of Madame Legendre's coming got wind, a deputation went to the
entrance of the street to welcome her. It was provided with all sorts of
instruments except musical ones, and the old dame was conducted in state
to Millet's room. The cause of the mischief was soon ascertained, for
the water-carriers were still at work. The police had refused to
interfere; in reality, they would not have been sorry to see the
building come down with a crash, for it was as great a source of
annoyance to them as to the peaceful burghers they were supposed to
protect. A m