led him to speak of a cafe in the
Rue Vauvilliers; the cafe on the ground-floor of the house where La
Sarriette lodged. This smoky place, with its torn, velvet-cushioned
seats, and marble table-tops discoloured by the drippings from
coffee-cups, was the chief resort of the young people of the markets.
Monsieur Jules reigned there over a company of porters, apprentices,
and gentlemen in white blouses and velvet caps. Two curling "Newgate
knockers" were glued against his temples; and to keep his neck white he
had it scraped with a razor every Saturday at a hair-dresser's in the
Rue des Deux Ecus. At the cafe he gave the tone to his associates,
especially when he played billiards with studied airs and graces,
showing off his figure to the best advantage. After the game the company
would begin to chat. They were a very reactionary set, taking a delight
in the doings of "society." For his part, Monsieur Jules read the
lighter boulevardian newspapers, and knew the performers at the smaller
theatres, talked familiarly of the celebrities of the day, and could
always tell whether the piece first performed the previous evening had
been a success or a failure. He had a weakness, however, for politics.
His ideal man was Morny, as he curtly called him. He read the reports of
the discussions of the Corps Legislatif, and laughed with glee over the
slightest words that fell from Morny's lips. Ah, Morny was the man to
sit upon your rascally republicans! And he would assert that only the
scum detested the Emperor, for his Majesty desired that all respectable
people should have a good time of it.

"I've been to the cafe occasionally," Claude said to Florent. "The young
men there are vastly amusing, with their clay pipes and their talk about
the Court balls! To hear them chatter you might almost fancy they were
invited to the Tuileries. La Sarriette's young man was making great fun
of Gavard the other evening. He called him uncle. When La Sarriette came
downstairs to look for him she was obliged to pay his bill. It cost her
six francs, for he had lost at billiards, and the drinks they had played
for were owing. And now, good night, my friend, and pleasant dreams. If
ever you become a Minister, I'll give you some hints on the beautifying
of Paris."

Florent was obliged to relinquish the hope of making a docile disciple
of Claude. This was a source of grief to him, for, blinded though he
was by his fanatical ardour, he at last grew consciou