“Yes, mesdames, you will cease now, I hope, to say that I delude myself with chimeras; by the luckiest chance I have recently become acquainted with a rich foreigner, who proposes to settle in France. He was looking for a large, pleasant house, all furnished, in one of the best quarters of the city; I found one for him; he looked at it, was delighted with it, bought it, and gives me six thousand francs for my trouble; and the seller gives me as much more for my commission. Well! isn’t that rather pleasant? Twelve thousand francs earned in a moment.” “True, son-in-law, but you have been running about for three months to reach that moment!” “Twelve thousand francs! That is well worth taking a little trouble for!” “That is true, but such affairs must be rare.” “I shall find others.” “They will not all be so fortunate.” “Oh! if a man earned twelve thousand francs every day, he would be too lucky.” “In this matter, you do not seem to have needed Dufresne’s assistance?” “Oh! he will put me in the way of more profitable ones yet. But in order to do a good business, I must have an office. You must understand that when my clients come to see me, I can’t receive them in a salon or a bedroom. I must have an office well stocked with boxes. That makes an impression; and as it is impossible to have a suitable place here, we must move.” “What! do you mean to leave these lodgings, son-in-law?” “Ah! my dear! this is where our hands were united by mamma. It was here that Hymen fulfilled our wishes, and I have been so happy here!” “My dear love, one is happy anywhere when one is rich. We will take a much handsomer apartment. This salon is too small.” “It is large enough to receive our friends.” “Yes, but friends are not the only ones to be received; we have acquaintances too.” “Son-in-law, don’t you think that you are undertaking an establishment beyond your means?”