"In that case, you see that I don't flatter her. To make a long story short, after supper, during which there was a time when the whole company was fighting because Madame Girie, the groom's mother, swore that she hadn't had the second joint of a chicken that rightfully belonged to her, and that they hadn't given her any truffles when all the others had some, we left the mother-in-law quarrelling, the father swearing, the groom apologizing, and the bride weeping and tearing her hair, and stole away, my widow and I, in much better spirits than the givers of the feast. But it's almost always like that; _sic vos_--you know the rest. "My new conquest sold gloves; she had a fine shop on Boulevard des Italiens. No end of style! Mirrors everywhere, violet-wood counter, and an odor of perfumery as soon as you entered the shop! I was in raptures. 'At last, here's a woman who won't cost you anything, and they're very scarce!' I said to myself. In fact, during the first few days, my pretty widow invited me to dine in her back shop. We dined very well, for Madame Satiné likes good things, the delicacies of the season; moreover, she kept me in gloves; as soon as she saw that mine were shabby, she'd say: "'Fi! fi! what sort of gloves are you wearing? I like to have a man always well gloved; that's the way to recognize a dandy.' "I let her do as she pleased; I can never refuse a woman anything. "One day, my loving Satiné, with whom I was dining, said to me: "'Look you, my little Loquet,'--she always called me by the tail of my name,--'I have an opportunity to make a lot of money.' "'My dear,' said I, 'you must seize it as you do my name--by the tail.' "'I know someone who has invented a way of making gloves without seams. They will be splendid; fashionable people won't wear anything else. There's a hundred thousand francs to be made in it.' "'Somebody once invented seamless boots,' I replied, 'but I don't think he ever made much money, for they didn't take.' "'Hands aren't like feet. I am sure of the success of this enterprise.' "'Go on and make your seamless gloves, then.' "'But I must buy the secret process first, and I can't get it for less than fifteen thousand francs.' "'That's rather dear for a few less seams.' "'But with that fifteen thousand francs I shall make a hundred thousand!' "'Buy the secret, then.' "'That's what I want to do. A mere trifle prevents me--I haven't any money; but I thought of you. You told me, you know, that it would make you unhappy if I didn't always think of you.' "'When it's a matter of love, that is true.' "'I think of you for everything. My little Loquet, you must lend me the fifteen thousand francs.' "'I should be delighted to oblige you, my sweet love; but there's a trifle that prevents me too: I have no money.' "'Oh! nonsense!'