A little man passed me, turned about, then stopped, barring my path. I had paid no attention to his performance, but he called out: “I say! what in the devil are you thinking about, that you don’t recognize your friends?” It was Bélan. I shook hands with him. “I beg your pardon, my dear Bélan, but I did not see you.” “You were terribly preoccupied. You were thinking of your love-affairs, I’ll wager.” “Faith, yes; I don’t deny it. I was thinking of the woman I shall adore all my life.” “Oho! how exalted we are! I recognize myself in that!” I was like a child, I longed to tell everybody what made me happy. I told Bélan of my love and of my impending marriage to Mademoiselle Dumeillan. The little rake made a pirouette and clapped his hands, crying: “The deuce! you are going to be married? On my word, there is a secret sympathy between us: I am thinking of marrying too.” “Really?” “Yes. In fact, I am fully decided upon it; I am tired of _bonnes fortunes_. And then, when your life is always in danger, it becomes wearisome after a while. Since my adventure with Montdidier--you remember?” “Oh yes! perfectly; it was that day that I first saw Eugénie at Giraud’s.” “Oho! so you met your future wife at Giraud’s, did you? Then it was they who arranged the marriage?” “No indeed. Madame Dumeillan sees them very seldom. For my part, I have never mentioned them to her; it doesn’t seem to me that I need Giraud to arrange a marriage for me.” “Never mind; as it was at his house that you met the young woman, he will be furious if he isn’t invited to the wedding, if he doesn’t manage the whole thing, if his wife is not near the head of the table, and if his three children aren’t allowed to stuff their pockets with dessert.” “In that case I fancy that he will have a chance to be furious.” “To return to myself, my dear fellow, I must tell you that since my adventure with Madame Montdidier, I have had some very disagreeable times: obliged to jump out of the window of an entresol; another time, to pass the night on a balcony, where I caught a cold that cost me eight bottles of syrup; and lastly, to avoid being surprised by a husband, compelled to hide in a chest, where I nearly stifled! I stayed in it an hour, and when they let me out, I was purple; my breath was all gone; faith! that completely disgusted me with love-affairs and intrigues; and like yourself, I propose to have done with them. I am courting a young lady who lives on Rue de la Roquette. I am going there now. You may have seen her at Giraud’s--Mademoiselle de Beausire?” “I don’t remember seeing her.” “Ah! she is a very handsome girl; regular features, aquiline nose--I am very fond of aquiline noses--extraordinary eyes, small waist, beautiful figure,--everything is there!” “Everything,--you are sure?”