t. When the evening was over, and just
as Ferdinand was going to bed, Birotteau took him into the shop on a
pretext of business.

"Du Tillet," said the worthy man, "three thousand francs are missing
from the desk. I suspect no one; but the circumstance of the old louis
seems too much against you not to oblige me to speak of it. We will not
go to bed till we have found where the error lies,--for, after all,
it may be only an error. Perhaps you took something on account of your
salary?"

Du Tillet said at once that he had taken the louis. The perfumer opened
his ledger and found that his clerk's account had not been debited.

"I was in a hurry; but I ought to have made Popinot enter the sum," said
Ferdinand.

"That is true," said Birotteau, bewildered by the cool unconcern of the
Norman, who well knew the worthy people among whom he had come meaning
to make his fortune. The perfumer and his clerk passed the whole night
in examining accounts, a labor which the good man knew to be useless. In
coming and going about the desk Cesar slipped three bills of a thousand
francs each into the money-drawer, catching them against the top of it;
then he pretended to be much fatigued and to fall asleep and snore.
Du Tillet awoke him triumphantly, with an excessive show of joy at
discovering the error. The next day Birotteau scolded Popinot and his
little wife publicly, as if very angry with them for their negligence.
Fifteen days later Ferdinand du Tillet got a situation with a
stockbroker. He said perfumery did not suit him, and he wished to learn
banking. In leaving Birotteau, he spoke of Madame Cesar in a way to make
people suppose that his master had dismissed him out of jealousy. A few
months later, however, du Tillet went to see Birotteau and asked his
endorsement for twenty thousand francs, to enable him to make up the
securities he needed in an enterprise which was to put him on the
high-road to fortune. Observing the surprise which Cesar showed at this
impudence, du Tillet frowned, and asked if he had no confidence in
him. Matifat and two other merchants, who were present on business with
Birotteau, also observed the indignation of the perfumer, who repressed
his anger in their presence. Du Tillet, he thought, might have become
an honest man; his previous fault might have been committed for some
mistress in distress or from losses at cards; the public reprobation of
an honest man might drive one still young, and possibly re