; your demand is a
preposterous one; besides, you wouldn't know how to spend such a sum."

"Don't you flurry yourself about that; but of one thing you may be sure,
I sha'n't spend my wages as you do--in wax for your mustache."

Beaumarchef could not endure an insult to his mustache, and Chupin was
about to receive the kick he had so richly earned, when Daddy Tantaine
suddenly made his appearance, looking exactly as he did when he visited
Paul in his garret.

"Tut, tut; never quarrel with the door open."

Beaumarchef thanked Providence for sending this sudden reinforcement to
his aid, and began in a tone of indignation,--

"Toto Chupin--"

"Stop! I have heard every word," broke in Tantaine.

On hearing this, Toto felt that he had better make himself scarce; for
though he hardly knew Mascarin, and utterly despised Beaumarchef, he
trembled before the oily Tantaine, for in him he recognized a being who
would stand no nonsense. He therefore began in an apologetic tone,--

"Just let me speak, sir; I only wanted--"

"Money, of course, and very natural too. Come, Beaumarchef, hand this
worthy lad the hundred francs that he has so politely asked for."

Beaumarchef was utterly stupefied, and was about to make some objection
when he was struck by a signal which Toto did not perceive, and, drawing
out his pocketbook, extracted a note which he offered to the lad. Toto
glanced at the note, then at the faces of the two men, but was evidently
afraid to take the money.

"Take the money," said Tantaine. "If your information is not worth the
money, I will have it back from you; come into the office, where we
shall not be disturbed."

Tantaine took a chair, and glancing at Toto, who stood before him
twirling his cap leisurely, said,--

"I heard you."

The lad had by this time recovered his customary audacity.

"Five days ago," he began, "I was put on to Caroline Schimmel; I have
found out all about her by this time. She is as regular as clockwork in
her duties at least. She wakes at ten and takes her absinthe. Then she
goes to a little restaurant she knows, and has her breakfast and a game
at cards with any one that will play with her. At six in the evening
she goes to the Grand Turk, a restaurant and dancing-shop in the Rue des
Poisonnieres. Ain't it a swell ken just! You can eat; drink, dance, or
sing, just as you like; but you must have decent togs on, or they won't
let you in."

"Wouldn't they let you through then?"