"You become Blanche's husband!" said the barber, glancing scornfully at the little man. "Listen, Chaudoreille, it suits me to give Blanche to this young man; he will make her happy." "As to that you are the master, but--" "But, if you say a word about what you have seen and heard tonight I shall draw down upon you the most terrible vengeance. Do you understand me?" "Yes, I understand you. By jingo, marry the little one with whom you please. I don't care a fig for the pair of them. However, if there is to be a wedding, I hope--" "No, there will be neither a wedding nor a repast--" "That will be gay!" "But, if you are discreet, I promise you two pieces of gold when everything is finished and Blanche has left this house." "Agreed. That will suit me, it is as if I held them now; you might as well pay me in advance." "I prefer, however, not to pay you until afterwards. But the night is drawing to a close; go home, Chaudoreille, and remember your promise." "Yes, yes, that's settled. Is there any news of the seductive marquis and the young Italian?" "I believe that fire is already extinguished. But that doesn't astonish me; a fortnight, three weeks, is the measure of the constancy of our great noblemen." "And after that's ended it's probable that there will be one intrigue after another to conduct. If so remember me, my dear Touquet." "Very good, go to your bed!" "In fact, it's about time. I'll go back to the Rue Brise-Miche; fortunately my portress has a liking for me, or else I should run a great risk of sleeping in the street. However, if you wish, I could wait for day here, on a chair." "No, no, it's necessary for you to go; I need some rest, also, and it seems to me that I shall get little of it this night." Chaudoreille enveloped himself as well as he could in his mantle and went towards the door, making a grimace. The barber closed it on him and went to his room, saying,-- "I have done well; she will go away, no one will hear tell of her again, and everything regarding her will soon be forgotten." CHAPTER II HAPPY MOMENTS Marguerite alone had slept during the night which had wrought so great a change in the barber's household; greatly cheered and calmed by the possession of Ursule's talisman she slept more soundly than she had ever done in her new room. As for Blanche one may well suppose that she did not close her eyes for a moment. The amiable child, still bewildered by all the events which had taken place, had hardly had time to pass from the fear of love to the fear of happiness; she was too innocent, too childlike to have dreamed of love as yet, her poor heart hardly yet realized its own state, though one sentiment stronger than all others dominated its thoughts. She tossed continually on her couch, repeating to herself,--