s past has been beating the drum in front of your d--d
financial shops, and who does not pay expenses. Yes, for ten years
I have shouted myself hoarse for your benefit: 'Walk in, ladies and
gentlemen, and, for every twenty-cent-piece you deposit with us,
we will return you a five-franc-piece. Walk in, follow the crowd,
step up to the office: this is the time.' They go in. You receive
mountains of twenty-cent-pieces: you never return anything, neither
a five-franc-piece, nor even a centime. The trick is done, the
public is sold. You drive your own carriage; you suspend diamonds
to your mistress' ears; and I, the organizer of success, whose puffs
open the tightest closed pockets, and start up the old louis from
the bottom of the old woolen stocking,--I am driven to have my boots
half-soled. You stint me my existence; you kick as soon as I ask
you to pay for the big drums bursted in your behalf."

He spoke so loud, that three or four idlers had stopped. Without
being very shrewd, Maxence understood readily that he had happened
in the midst of an acrimonious discussion. Closely pressed, and
desirous of gaining time, M. Costeclar had called him in the hopes
of effecting a diversion.

Bowing, therefore, politely,

"Excuse me, gentlemen," he said: "I fear I have interrupted you."

But M. Costeclar detained him.

"Don't go," he declared; "you must come down and take a glass of
Madeira with us, down at the Cascade."

And, turning to the editor of "The Pilot":

"Come, now, shut up," he said: "you shall have what you want."

"Really?"

"Upon my word."

"I'd rather have two or three lines in black and white."

"I'll give them to you to-night."

"All right, then! Forward the big guns! Look out for next Sunday's
number!"

Peace being made, the gentlemen continued their walk in the most
friendly manner, M. Costeclar pointing out to Maxence all the
celebrities who were passing by them in their carriages.

He had just designated to his attention Mme. and Mlle. de Thaller,
accompanied by two gigantic footmen, when, suddenly interrupting
himself, and rising on tiptoe,

"Sacre bleu!" he exclaimed: "what a handsome woman!"

Without too much affectation, Maxence fell back a step or two. He
felt himself blushing to his very ears, and trembled lest his sudden
emotion were noticed, and he were questioned; for it was Mlle.
Lucienne who thus excited M. Costeclar's noisy enthusiasm. Once
already she had been arou