“This is the place, this is the very place,” said Edouard, leaping to the ground; “oh! there is no mistake. I recognize the gate, the courtyard, and even this bell. It’s the same one that was here in my time. And there is the sign saying that the house is for sale.” While he was examining with emotion the outside of the house, Adeline assisted her mother from the carriage; they fastened the horse, and then entered the courtyard, for the gate was not locked. “Oh! how I shall enjoy myself here!” said Adeline, glancing about with a satisfied expression; “isn’t this house fascinating, mamma?” “But, one moment, my child; we have seen nothing as yet.” A tall peasant came out of a room on the ground floor, followed by an enormous dog. “What do you want?” he said, scrutinizing them surlily enough. “We want to see this house,” Edouard replied. “All right,” muttered the concierge between his teeth; “come with me, and I will take you to my master.” Edouard, with his wife and Madame Germeuil, followed their conductor, who ascended a staircase and showed them into a dining-room on the first floor, where he left them, to go to summon his master. Soon a shrill little voice arose in the room which the concierge had entered, and our travellers heard this colloquy: “What do you want of me, Pierre?” “Some one has come to buy the house, monsieur.” “Have you come again to disturb me to no purpose, and to bring me some boorish fellow, as you did just now?” “Oh! no, monsieur! these folks look like swells!” “That devilish fellow put me into a terrible temper! I shall be sick, I am sure!” “I tell you, monsieur, that these folks have a cabriolet.” “Oh! that’s different! I’ll go and speak to them.” Madame Germeuil and her children were wondering what they should think of what they had heard, when the door of the adjoining room opened, and a short, thin, yellow, wrinkled man, in dressing gown and nightcap appeared and saluted his visitors with an air which he tried in vain to make amiable. “We wish to examine this house,” said Edouard; “not that I do not know it very well; but these ladies would be very glad to see it.” “It is very strange,” said the little man, glancing at the concierge; “everybody knows my house!--And is it your purpose to buy it?” “Why, to be sure, if the price suits us.” “In that case, I will show you around myself.” “What an original creature!” whispered Adeline to her husband; “I will bet that it is some old money-lender, who went into retirement here, and can’t resist the desire to do business in the capital again.” They went over the house from the ground floor to the attic; the little man spared them nothing, and Edouard, who was very glad to see his former home once more, listened patiently to all the details which the old fellow gave them concerning the advantages of his abode. From time to time, our young man glanced at his wife and smiled.