Indeed, Rodolphe's memory was still salt with the remembrance of a time when he had been reduced to the exclusive consumption of the fish in question. "The deuce," said he, "that is serious. I came to borrow a hundred francs of you." "A hundred francs," said Marcel. "You are always in the clouds. The idea of coming and asking me for that mythological amount at a period when one is always under the equator of necessity. You must have been taking hashish." "Alas!" said Rodolphe, "I have not been taking anything at all." And he left his friend on the banks of the Red Sea. From noon to four o'clock Rodolphe successively steered for every house of his acquaintance. He went through the forty eight districts of Paris, and covered about eight leagues, but without any success. The influence of the 15th of April made itself feel with equal severity everywhere. However, dinner time was drawing near. But it scarcely appeared that dinner was likely to follow its example, and it seemed to Rodolphe that he was on the raft of the wrecked Medusa. As he was crossing the Pont Neuf an idea all at once occurred to him. "Oh! oh!" said he to himself, retracing his steps, "the 15th of April. But I have an invitation to dinner for today." And fumbling in his pocket, he drew out a printed ticket, running as follows: +------------------------------------------------------+ | | | Barriere de la Villette, | | Au Grand Vainqueur. | | Dining Room to seat 300 people. | | | | ____________ | | | | Anniversary Dinner | | In Honor of the Birth Of | | | | THE HUMANITARIAN MESSIAH | | | | April 15, 184- | | | | _______ | | | | Admit One | | N.B.--Only half a bottle of wine per head | +------------------------------------------------------+ "I do not share the opinions of the disciples of this Messiah," said Rodolphe to himself, "but I will willingly share their repast." And with the swiftness of a bird he covered the distance separating him from the Barriere de la Villette. When he reached the halls of the Grand Vainqueur, the crowd was enormous. The dining room, seating three hundred, was thronged with five hundred people. A vast horizon of veal and carrots spread itself before the eyes of Rodolphe. At length they began to serve the soup.