starvation.

And I, Sir Hector Ratichon, the confidant of two kings, three
autocrats and an emperor, took that man to my bosom--fed him, clothed
him, housed him, gave him the post of secretary in my intricate,
delicate, immensely important business--and I did this, Sir, at a
salary which, in comparison with his twenty centimes, must have seemed
a princely one to him.

His duties were light. He was under no obligation to serve me or to be
at his post before seven o'clock in the morning, and all that he had
to do then was to sweep out the three rooms, fetch water from the well
in the courtyard below, light the fire in the iron stove which stood
in my inner office, shell the haricots for his own mess of pottage,
and put them to boil. During the day his duties were lighter still. He
had to run errands for me, open the door to prospective clients, show
them into the outer office, explain to them that his master was
engaged on affairs relating to the kingdom of France, and generally
prove himself efficient, useful and loyal--all of which qualities he
assured me, my dear Sir, he possessed to the fullest degree. And I
believed him, Sir; I nurtured the scorpion in my over-sensitive bosom!
I promised him ten per cent. on all the profits of my business, and
all the remnants from my own humble repasts--bread, the skins of
luscious sausages, the bones from savoury cutlets, the gravy from the
tasty carrots and onions. You would have thought that his gratitude
would become boundless, that he would almost worship the benefactor
who had poured at his feet the full cornucopia of comfort and luxury.
Not so! That man, Sir, was a snake in the grass--a serpent--a
crocodile! Even now that I have entirely severed my connexion with
that ingrate, I seem to feel the wounds, like dagger-thrusts, which he
dealt me with so callous a hand. But I have done with him--done, I
tell you! How could I do otherwise than to send him back to the gutter
from whence I should never have dragged him? My goodness, he repaid
with an ingratitude so black that you, Sir, when you hear the full
story of his treachery, will exclaim aghast.

Ah, you shall judge! His perfidy commenced less than a week after I
had given him my third best pantaloons and three sous to get his hair
cut, thus making a man of him. And yet, you would scarcely believe it,
in the matter of the secret documents he behaved toward me like a
veritable Judas!

Listen, my dear Sir.

I told you, I