"There, there, my old mummy; let's not lose our temper. Where is Monsieur Grandcourt's nephew?" "As if I knew, monsieur! I keep accounts, and nothing else, and I can't talk. You have put me out; I must begin all over again!" "Very well, you shall begin again; nothing trains the youthful mind like addition. But you must answer my question first." "Monsieur Grandcourt's private office is at the end of this passage, monsieur. Go and tell him what you want, and leave me to my accounts." "All right! Do you know, I believe that excessive adding has hindered you sadly in your growth." Cherami followed the passage, and, upon turning the knob of a door at the end, found himself in the banker's office. Monsieur Grandcourt was writing at his desk; being accustomed to the frequent coming and going of his clerks, he went on writing without looking up. Cherami closed the door, examined Monsieur Grandcourt for a moment, and said to himself: "That's our uncle--I recognize him. I never saw him but once, but that's enough. Besides, he has one of those peppery faces which have a certain _chic_." He walked to the desk and removed his hat, saying: "Good-morning, dear uncle! You are at work, I see. Bigre! it seems that dig's the word in your shop; for I found outside here an old pensioner so buried in his figures that I couldn't see the end of his nose.--Well, how does it go?--Don't you know me? I am Arthur Cherami." Monsieur Grandcourt raised his head, and stared in utter amazement at the individual before him. "Might I know, monsieur," he rejoined, "what you want, what brings you here? for I probably didn't understand what you said." "Ah! you didn't understand, eh? Are you adding figures, too? That occupation seems to deaden the intellect. But, never mind about that! So you don't recognize me, dear uncle?" "No, monsieur, no; and I confess that I fail to understand this title of _uncle_ which you persist in giving me." "That is a title of affection, because I am a friend of your nephew--dear Gustave--who was so desperate on the day that his faithless Fanny married another. And on that same day, I dined with him at Deffieux's. He was absolutely determined to speak to the lovely bride, when you fell into our private room like a bombshell, and dragged the poor fellow away." "Ah! very good, monsieur! now I understand, and I recognize you. Yes, it was you who were at the restaurant with my nephew--and you attempted to interfere with my taking him away." "_Dame!_ he was so anxious to see his Fanny! I have always protected love affairs." "And do you realize, monsieur, all that might have resulted from an interview between Gustave and that young woman?" "Why, no more, I fancy, than did actually happen--a duel, that's all!" "What do you mean, monsieur? My nephew fought no duel; that I know; I didn't leave him until the very moment of his departure." "Well, I don't say that it was he who fought; it was I; but it amounts to the same thing."