them--which was well for
me, since it is upon these papers that I have had money advanced."

"What a godsend!" said Dumoulin. "But somebody must have known that you
had them?"

"Yes; one of those people that are always looking out for old debts came
to Cephyse, who told me all about it; and, after he had read the papers,
he said that the affair was doubtful, but that he would lend me ten
thousand francs on it, if I liked. Ten thousand francs was a large sum,
so I snapped him up!"

"But you must have supposed that these old papers were of great value."

"Faith, no! since my father, who ought to have known their value, had
never realized on them--and then, you see, ten thousand francs in good,
bright coin, falling as it were from the clouds, are not to be sneezed
at--so I took them--only the man made me do a bit of stiff as guarantee,
or something of that kind."

"Did you sign it?"

"Of course--what did I care about it? The man told me it was only a
matter of form. He spoke the truth, for the bill fell due a fortnight
ago, and I have heard nothing of it. I have still about a thousand
francs in his hands, for I have taken him for my banker. And that's the
way, old pal, that I'm able to flourish and be jolly all day long, as
pleased as Punch to have left my old grinder of a master, M. Tripeaud."

As he pronounced this name, the joyous countenance of Jacques became
suddenly overcast. Cephyse, no longer under the influence of the painful
impression she had felt for a moment, looked uneasily at Jacques, for
she knew the irritation which the name of M. Tripeaud produced within
him.

"M. Tripeaud," resumed Sleepinbuff, "is one that would make the good
bad, and the bad worse. They say that a good rider makes a good horse;
they ought to say that a good master makes a good workman. Zounds! when
I think of that fellow!" cried Sleepinbuff, striking his hand violently
on the table.

"Come, Jacques--think of something else!" said the Bacchanal Queen.
"Make him laugh, Rose-Pompon."

"I am not in a humor to laugh," replied Jacques, abruptly, for he was
getting excited from the effects of the wine; "it is more than I can
bear to think of that man. It exasperates me! it drives me mad! You
should have heard him saying: 'Beggarly workmen! rascally workmen! they
grumble that they have no food in their bellies; well, then, we'll give
them bayonets to stop their hunger.'(11) And there's the children in his
factory--you should see t