dy. He had the air, physiognomy, and manners
of a highly respectable chief clerk of fifty. Gold spectacles, an
umbrella, everything about him exhaled an odor of the ledger.

"Now," said he to M. Plantat. "Let's hurry away." Goulard, who
had made a hearty breakfast, was waiting for his hero in the
dining-room.

"Ah ha, old fellow," said M. Lecoq. "So you've had a few words
with my wine. How do you find it?"

"Delicious, my chief; perfect--that is to say, a true nectar."

"It's cheered you up, I hope."

"Oh, yes, my chief."

"Then you may follow us a few steps and mount guard at the door of
the house where you see us go in. I shall probably have to confide
a pretty little girl to your care whom you will carry to Monsieur
Domini. And open your eyes; for she's a sly creature, and very
apt to inveigle you on the way and slip through your fingers."

They went out, and Janouille stoutly barricaded herself behind them.

XXV

Whosoever needs a loan of money, or a complete suit of clothes in
the top of the fashion, a pair of ladies' boots, or an Indian
cashmere; a porcelain table service or a good picture; whosoever
desires diamonds, curtains, laces, a house in the country, or a
provision of wood for winter fires--may procure all these, and
many other things besides, at Mme. Charman's.

Mme. Charman lives at 136, Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, on the
first story above the ground-floor. Her customers must give madame
some guarantee of their credit; a woman, if she be young and pretty,
may be accommodated at madame's at the reasonable rate of two
hundred per cent interest. Madame has, at these rates, considerable
custom, and yet has not made a large fortune. She must necessarily
risk a great deal, and bears heavy losses as well as receives large
profits. Then she is, as she is pleased to say, too honest; and
true enough, she is honest--she would rather sell her dress off her
back than let her signature go to protest.

Madame is a blonde, slight, gentle, and not wanting in a certain
distinction of manner; she invariably wears, whether it be summer
or winter, a black silk dress. They say she has a husband, but no
one has ever seen him, which does not prevent his reputation for
good conduct from being above suspicion. However, honorable as may
be Mme. Charman's profession, she has more than once had business
with M. Lecoq; she has need of him and fears him as she does fire.
She, therefore