ty francs, and
once more threatened to take his business elsewhere, so I had to
accept and to look as urbane and dignified as I could.

He was out of the office and about to descend the stairs when a
thought struck me.

"Where and how can I communicate with M. Jean Duval," I asked, "when
my work is done?"

"I will call here," he replied, "at ten o'clock of every morning that
follows a performance of _Le Reve_. We can complete our transaction
then across your office desk."

The next moment he was gone. Theodore passed him on the stairs and
asked me, with one of his impertinent leers, whether we had a new
client and what we might expect from him. I shrugged my shoulders. "A
new client!" I said disdainfully. "Bah! Vague promises of a couple of
louis for finding out if Madame his wife sees more of a certain
captain of the guards than Monsieur the husband cares about."

Theodore sniffed. He always sniffs when financial matters are on the
tapis.

"Anything on account?" he queried.

"A paltry ten francs," I replied, "and I may as well give you your
share of it now."

I tossed a franc to him across the desk. By the terms of my contract
with him, you understand, he was entitled to ten per cent, of every
profit accruing from the business in lieu of wages, but in this
instance do you not think that I was justified in looking on one franc
now, and perhaps twenty when the transaction was completed, as a more
than just honorarium for his share in it? Was I not taking all the
risks in this delicate business? Would it be fair for me to give him a
hundred francs for sitting quietly in the office or sipping absinthe
at a neighbouring bar whilst I risked New Orleans--not to speak of the
gallows?

He gave me a strange look as he picked up the silver franc, spat on it
for luck, bit it with his great yellow teeth to ascertain if it were
counterfeit or genuine, and finally slipped it into his pocket, and
shuffled out of the office whistling through his teeth.

An abominably low, deceitful creature, that Theodore, you will see
anon. But I won't anticipate.

2.

The next performance of _Le Reve_ was announced for the following
evening, and I started on my campaign. As you may imagine, it did not
prove an easy matter. To obtain access through the stage-door to the
back of the theatre was one thing--a franc to the doorkeeper had done
the trick--to mingle with the scene-shifters, to talk with the supers,
to take off my hat wi