agreed to by your landlord,
Monsieur le comte de Grandville; there are stipulations to be made and
agreed upon about replacing the wall at the end of your lease. Besides
which, rents have hitherto been low, but they are rising; the Place
Vendome is looking up, the Rue Castiglione is to be built upon. I am
binding myself--binding myself down!"

"Let us come to a settlement," said Birotteau, amazed. "How much do you
want? I know business well enough to be certain that all your reasons
can be silenced by the superior consideration of money. Well, how much
is it?"

"That's only fair, monsieur the deputy. How much longer does your own
lease run?"

"Seven years," answered Birotteau.

"Think what my first floor will be worth in seven years!" said Molineux.
"Why, what would two furnished rooms let for in that quarter?--more than
two hundred francs a month perhaps! I am binding myself--binding myself
by a lease. The rent ought to be fifteen hundred francs. At that price
I will consent to the transfer of the two rooms by Monsieur Cayron, here
present," he said, with a sly wink at the umbrella-man; "and I will give
you a lease of them for seven consecutive years. The costs of piercing
the wall are to belong to you; and you must procure the consent of
Monsieur le comte de Grandville and the cession of all his rights in the
matter. You are responsible for all damage done in making this opening.
You will not be expected to replace the wall yourself, that will be
my business; but you will at once pay me five hundred francs as an
indemnity towards it. We never know who may live or die, and I can't run
after anybody to get the wall rebuilt."

"Those conditions seem to me pretty fair," said Birotteau.

"Next," said Molineux. "You must pay me seven hundred and fifty francs,
_hic et hinc_, to be deducted from the last six months of your lease;
this will be acknowledged in the lease itself. Oh, I will accept small
bills for the value of the rent at any date you please! I am prompt and
square in business. We will agree that you are to close up the door
on my staircase (where you are to have no right of entry), at your own
cost, in masonry. Don't fear,--I shall ask you no indemnity for that
at the end of your lease; I consider it included in the five hundred
francs. Monsieur, you will find me just."

"We merchants are not so sharp," said the perfumer. "It would not be
possible to do business if we made so many stipulations."

"Oh, i