Mademoiselle Rosa, Boulotte's fellow _figurante_, occupied a small fourth-floor apartment on Rue de Lancry, very daintily furnished; for, although she had yellow eyes and complexion, she always had richer protectors than several of her companions who were far prettier than she. Why was that? I decline to tell you. On the appointed day, about half-past twelve, Dodichet was seated at the table, between Boulotte and Rosa, in the tiny dining-room of the latter's apartment. The table was covered with dishes, upon which they had already made savage attacks, and with bottles embellished with divers seals and containing wines of different colors. They were in very high spirits, laughing while they ate, and drinking while they laughed. "Mesdemoiselles," said Dodichet, uncorking a bottle of champagne, "I have told you the joke--the jest--the trick, in fact, which I want to play. You have promised to help me." "We promise again." "I swear it by my lover's hair!" said Rosa. "Oho! but I believe your lover's bald, isn't he?--However, never mind--you know what you're to say to Madame Putiphar when she comes?" "Oh! we know our rôles; you'll be content with us." "But the woman doesn't come! suppose she should go back on us?" "No danger! I told her I wanted a brooch." "For your kitchen?"[Q] "Why, no; to wear at my neck. Hark--someone is ringing--I'll bet that's she!" And, in a moment, the maid came in and said to Rosa: "Madame Putiphar is here." "Well, show her in; she won't keep us from eating." Almost on the instant there appeared a short but enormously stout woman, apparently somewhat between forty and fifty years of age; who had been, perhaps, in her prime, a piquant brunette, but was now simply a brunette without the piquancy, or rather a black; for her hair, whose thick plaits almost covered her cheeks, was of such a glossy ebon blackness that, at first sight, taken with her face, which was flushed and pimply, it made her head look as if it had been varnished. She was well supplied with clothes, too well supplied, in fact, for she wore two shawls,--a large one, with a smaller one over it,--a high collarette, with a cravat twisted round it; a cap, and over it a bonnet decorated with a lot of frippery; in addition, she carried a flat box under her arm, which led Dodichet to observe: "This woman evidently carries a large part of her stock in trade about with her." "Good-day, Putiphar!" "Hail, Madame Putiphar!" "Sit down, Putiphar. When I wrote you to come, I didn't know that Monsieur Dodichet, a commission merchant in sugar, would treat Boulotte and me to this impromptu feast of champagne and truffles mixed, this morning.--But that doesn't make any difference; for you're in no hurry, I take it?" The corpulent dame replied by repeated courtesies, accompanied by loving glances at the table, mumbling: "Oh! mesdames, don't let me disturb you at all! It smells good here, and I'm in no hurry; I'll watch you eat."