"Errands! I know how you do errands! I've been hearing about you, young scoundrel that you are!" "In the first place, uncle, I am not a scoundrel." "Your head clerk told me that the day before yesterday morning, while they were waiting for a very urgent paper that they'd sent you to have signed, he found you sitting coolly under Pont des Arts, fishing." "Me, uncle, me! My word, what a lie!" "He has the face to deny it, when I have proofs of the fact!" "Proofs? what proofs?" "Look, Monsieur Friquet, here's a package of hooks that I found in your coat pocket. Well! what do you say to that?" "That doesn't prove anything, uncle; I didn't buy those hooks for myself." "For whom did you buy them, then?" "For my brother, who means to go fishing in the Canal de l'Ourcq on Sunday." "You're the most shameless liar I know. I'll bet that you bought a theatre check to-night, and that you've been to see the end of some play." "You know perfectly well that I haven't got any money, uncle." "Oh! you always have money to go to the theatre and to stuff yourself. Come, monsieur, fill the glasses and pass them round to the ladies." "That's it!" muttered the little nephew, turning angrily on his heel; "as soon as I get home, I have to be uncle's servant, they'd better get a negro. And then, the first thing in the morning, aunt sends me to get her milk and her fuel, and lights for her cat." "You seem to be arguing the matter!" said Madame Vauvert, pinching Friquet's arm; "there! that's to teach you to grumble." "Ow! how mean to pinch me like that, aunt! I shall be black and blue for a week." "So much the better!" "Mon Dieu! how ugly she is!" muttered Friquet; and I saw him, for consolation, take a slice of cake out of his pocket and swallow it in three mouthfuls.