"Madame Abraham; very well, monsieur." "You will hand her this letter. Do you know how to read?" Paul could not restrain a faint smile as he replied: "Oh! yes, monsieur; very well." "So much the better; I am very glad, because, in that case, you won't make any blunder." But as he was not fully convinced that the messenger had told him the truth, Monsieur Tobie held up the letter he was about to give him, and said: "What does that say?" "_To Madame Agar Abraham, wholesale milliner, Marché du Temple._" "That's right, that's quite right; you read perfectly. You will give this letter, then, to Madame Abraham, and she will hand you some money for me; I have funds invested in her business. You will take the money, and--and----" At that point, Tobie, seeing that a gentleman and lady were passing, raised his voice almost to a shout, and threw his head back and his chest forward: "You will bring it to me at the Maison-Dorée, where I dine to-night. I dine at the Maison-Dorée; it is my favorite restaurant. You will ask the waiter for Monsieur Tobie Pigeonnier. I am very well known at the Maison-Dorée." "I understand, monsieur." The people who were passing being out of earshot, the stout youth continued in an undertone: "One moment, Paul; that is not all. If by any chance--for we must provide for everything--if Madame Abraham should not give you any money for me--merchants are sometimes a little short--if, I say, Madame Abraham should give you nothing for me, then, and only then, you will go to the house where I live, on Rue de la Ferme-des-Mathurins--the address is on this other letter, and you know how to read. You will go there and give this letter to my concierge, Madame Pluchonneau,--the name is on the envelope,--and tell her you will wait for an answer. You may be obliged to wait some time, for I have told my concierge to do an errand for me. But you will wait in her lodge, she has a very fine lodge. Then my concierge, when she returns, will hand you some money, which you will bring to the Maison-Dorée." "Very good, monsieur." "You are sure that you understand, messenger? If you receive money from Madame Abraham, who will doubtless hand you with it a memorandum of the amount, then it will not be necessary to go to my house, and you will bring back the letter for Madame Pluchonneau. But if you get nothing at the Temple, then go to Rue de la Ferme-des-Mathurins." "I understand perfectly, monsieur." "Off with you, young Paul! You can send word to me by the waiter; don't give me my answer before those other gentlemen. Secrecy, above all things!" "Very good, monsieur." "Go! I will give you a handsome _pourboire._" And Tobie Pigeonnier returned to the boulevard and joined his friends, who shouted to him when he came in sight: "Come on! What a long while it takes you to send a message to your charmers!"