"I am certainly willing to say this much," said M. Bouffard, "though I've been in the habit of coming to the house almost every day, I never saw this young man before. But why do you feel so badly about it, my dear young lady? Your rent is paid, and you may as well make the best of it. There are plenty of other people who would like to be humiliated in the same way. Ha, ha, ha!" added M. Bouffard, with his coarse laugh. "But you will not keep this money, monsieur?" cried Herminie. "I beg you will not; sell my piano,--my bed,--anything I possess, but in pity return this money to the person who gave it to you. If you keep it, the shame is mine, monsieur!" "How you do go on!" exclaimed M. Bouffard. "I didn't feel insulted in the least in pocketing my rent. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, you know. Besides, where am I likely to find this handsome young man to return him his money? He is a stranger to me. I haven't the slightest idea who he is or where he came from; but it can easily be arranged. When you see the fellow you can tell him that it was against your wishes that I kept his money, but that I am a regular old Shylock and all that. Put all the blame on me, I don't mind; I've got a thick hide." "Mademoiselle," said M. de Maillefort, addressing Herminie, who, with her face buried in her hands, was silently weeping, "will you consent to take my advice?" "What would you have me do, monsieur?" "Accept from me, who am old enough to be your father,--from me, who was the devoted friend of a person for whom you had as much respect as affection,--accept from me a loan sufficient to pay this gentleman. Each month you can pay me in small instalments. As for the money monsieur has already received, why, he must do his best to find the stranger who gave it to him. If he fails, he must give the money to some local charity." Herminie listened to this proposal with the liveliest gratitude. "Oh, thank you, thank you, M. le marquis," she exclaimed. "I accept your kind offer gladly, and am proud to be under obligations to you." "But I utterly refuse to be a party to any such arrangement," exclaimed M. Bouffard. "And why, monsieur?" demanded the marquis. "I will not,--I will not, I tell you. It sha'n't be said that--in short, I'm not such a monster that--but no matter, let it be understood, once for all, that the marquis is to keep his money. I'll try to find that young coxcomb; if I don't, I'll drop his money in the poor-box. I won't sell your piano, mademoiselle, but I'll be paid, all the same. What do you say to that?" "Have the goodness to explain, monsieur, if you please," said the marquis. "Well, this is the long and short of it," answered M. Bouffard. "My daughter Cornelia has a music teacher, quite a famous teacher, I believe,--a M. Tonnerriliuskoff--" "With such a name one ought certainly to make a noise in the world," said the marquis.