t rate. Will you come and
look at it?"

"Well, I don't know if I shall want any to-day; I've still a little lard
left."

Making a supreme effort, Florent followed these two women. He
recollected having heard Claude name the old one--Mademoiselle
Saget--when they were in the Rue Pirouette; and he made up his mind
to question her when she should have parted from her tall withered
acquaintance.

"And how's your niece?" Mademoiselle Saget now asked.

"Oh, La Sarriette does as she likes," Madame Lecoeur replied in a bitter
tone. "She's chosen to set up for herself and her affairs no longer
concern me. When her lovers have beggared her, she needn't come to me
for any bread."

"And you were so good to her, too! She ought to do well this year; fruit
is yielding big profits. And your brother-in-law, how is he?"

"Oh, he----"

Madame Lecoeur bit her lips, and seemed disinclined to say anything
more.

"Still the same as ever, I suppose?" continued Mademoiselle Saget. "He's
a very worthy man. Still, I once heard it said that he spent his money
in such a way that--"

"But does anyone know how he spends his money?" interrupted Madame
Lecoeur, with much asperity. "He's a miserly niggard, a scurvy fellow,
that's what I say! Do you know, mademoiselle, he'd see me die of
starvation rather than lend me five francs! He knows quite well that
there's nothing to be made out of butter this season, any more than
out of cheese and eggs; whereas he can sell as much poultry as ever he
chooses. But not once, I assure you, not once has he offered to help me.
I am too proud, as you know, to accept any assistance from him; still it
would have pleased me to have had it offered."

"Ah, by the way, there he is, your brother-in-law!" suddenly exclaimed
Mademoiselle Saget, lowering her voice.

The two women turned and gazed at a man who was crossing the road to
enter the covered way close by.

"I'm in a hurry," murmured Madame Lecoeur. "I left my stall without
anyone to look after it; and, besides, I don't want to speak to him."

However, Florent also had mechanically turned round and glanced at the
individual referred to. This was a short, squarely-built man, with a
cheery look and grey, close-cut brush-like hair. Under each arm he was
carrying a fat goose, whose head hung down and flapped against his legs.
And then all at once Florent made a gesture of delight. Forgetting his
fatigue, he ran after the man, and, overtaking him, tapped hi