He drove straight to the house that the elder Gandelu was building in
the Champs Elysees, and putting his head out of the window, he accosted
a light, active young fellow who was warning the foot passengers not to
pass under the scaffolding.

"Anything new, La Cordille?" enquired the old man.

"No, nothing; but tell the master I am keeping a good watch."

From there Tantaine visited a footman in De Breulh's employment, and a
woman in the service of Madame de Bois Arden. Then, paying his fare,
he started on foot for Father Canon's wine shop, in the Rue St. Honore,
where he met Florestan, who was as saucy and supercilious to Tantaine
as he was obsequious to Mascarin. But although he paid for Florestan's
dinner, all that he could extort from him was, that Sabine was terribly
depressed. It was fully eight o'clock before Tantaine had got rid of
Florestan, and hailing another cab, he ordered the driver to take him to
the Grand Turk, in the Rue des Poissonniers.

The magnificent sign of the Grand Turk dances in the breeze, and invites
such youths as Toto Chupin and his companions. The whole aspect of the
exterior seemed to invite the passers-by to step in and try the good
cheer provided within,--a good _table d'hote_ at six p.m., coffee, tea,
liquors, and a grand ball to complete the work of digestion. A long
corridor leads to this earthly Eden, and the two doors at the end of
it open, the one into the dining, and the other into the ball-room. A
motley crew collected there for the evening meal, and on Sundays it is
next to impossible to procure a seat. But the dining-room is the Grand
Turk's greatest attraction, for as soon as the dessert is over the head
waiter makes a sign, and dishes and tablecloths are cleared away in
a moment. The dining-room becomes a _cafe_, and the click of dominoes
gives way to the rattle of forks, while beer flows freely. This,
however, is nothing, for, at a second signal, huge folding doors are
thrown open, and the strains of an orchestra ring out as an invitation
to the ball, to which all diners are allowed free entrance. Nothing is
danced but round dances, polkas, mazurkas, and waltzes.

The German element was very strong at the Grand Turk, and if a gentleman
wished to make himself agreeable to his fair partners, it was necessary
for him, at any rate, to be well up in the Alsatian dialect. The master
of the ceremonies had already called upon the votaries of Terpsichore to
take their places for