But they made no reply; they simply pushed him into the street and closed the door on him. Somewhat ashamed of the result of his jest, our friend, who had received a too well-aimed blow from a broomstick over his left eye, walked away, holding his handkerchief to the wound, and saying to himself: "What a damnable idea that was of mine, to ask for a broomstick! This time, I have my cue!" XL THE BANKER Cherami's left eye was so badly damaged, and retained so long the marks of the blow it had received, that the ex-beau was obliged to keep his room six weeks, because he did not choose to go out with a bandage across his face. Madame Louchard, who was frequently intrusted with the duty of dressing the wounded organ, said one day to her tenant: "How in the world did you get that _trump_?" "You call that a _trump_, my amiable hostess! It would be a deuced fine hand which was full of such trumps!" "You fought another duel, did you, hot-head?" "I am forced to confess that I was beaten this time; I wasn't strong enough; there was a whole regiment against me." "That wasn't done by a sword, was it?" "No, unluckily! A sword puts your eye out, but doesn't force it out of your head. But I got it for the sake of two girls!" "Aha! so you must have two at once! God! what good reason I have to hate men!" "However, this forced retirement has compelled me to be economical; I have given you a superb payment on account." "Twenty-five francs! Do you call that superb?" "Everything is comparative; I usually give you only a hundred sous. My eye is getting well, thank God! I shall soon resume my activity." "And run after your girls again, I suppose?" "No, on my word as a gentleman, I shan't begin that again; I've had enough of it! I have my cue. I am going to try to find my friend Gustave; he may have been in Paris since I have kept my room. My first visit will be to his uncle, a by no means amiable party, who presumes to look askance at me; but, so long as he tells me where his nephew is, I will allow him to make faces at me, if it affords him any pleasure." A few days later, Cherami was, in fact, able to go out, and without a bandage; his eye had resumed its normal appearance. Our man had taken great pains with his toilet: his boots were polished, his hat and coat carefully brushed; he took his switch, entered the omnibus from Belleville, took an exchange check, and, in due time, arrived at the banker's establishment in Faubourg Montmartre. On this occasion, Cherami did not stop to talk with the concierge; he went straight to the office and found the same clerk still at work on his figures. It is a fact that there are some clerks in banking-houses who pass almost the whole day at that work. When they go to sleep, it would seem that they must always see figures dancing and fluttering about them; what a pleasant life! and what delightful dreams!