"Oh, not so fast. By jingo! he's a little Vesuvius,--this dear Touquet. If I gave way to my natural temper we should see some fine things; however, that's ended; silence on that subject. Now I am dressed; I lack nothing but my ruff; how can I go out without that?" "You went out very well a minute ago, half dressed." "But a minute ago I was sword in hand, and in those moments I see nothing but my victim. It's all right; I will pull my cloak up a little higher. Ah, I was forgetting an essential. That I may buy something in the little one's shop it's necessary that I should have some money, and my pockets are empty this morning." "Wait; take these ten crowns, on account of what I shall give you if you fulfil my instructions correctly." "That's well understood," said Chaudoreille, taking the money and drawing from his belt an old silk purse, which had formerly been red, in which he placed, one by one, with an air of respect, the ten pieces which the barber had given him. "It's still too early," said Touquet, "for you to go to the perfumer's; those dames do not open their shops as early as we do ours; while waiting till the time comes for you to execute your commission couldn't you go up and see Blanche, and give her a music lesson? That will amuse her, and I notice that she does not find much to distract her in her room, where she sees no one but Marguerite." At the name of Blanche, Chaudoreille raised his eyes to Heaven, and heaved a sigh which he stifled immediately, crying,-- "By the way, how is she, the pretty child? I was going to ask you about her, for it is a century since I have seen her." "She's very well, but she's tired of being in the house and wishes to go out." "What the devil! why don't you send me more often to keep her company? I can amuse her, my beautiful Blanche, and I can play something for her." "I'm not sure that you can amuse her much. Blanche said to me that you always sang the same things, and that she now knew as much as you do of the sitar." "These young girls are full of conceit. I confess that she's made rapid progress, and that is not astonishing; I have a way of teaching which would make a donkey capable of singing songs; besides, the little one is intelligent, but I flatter myself that I can still teach her something more." "Chaudoreille, I have given you a great proof of my confidence in permitting you to see Blanche; you must swear to me that you will never speak of her beauty." "Be easy; when by chance anyone asks me if I know the young girl who is under your care, I answer--since we are on the subject--that I have seen her three or four times, and that she is neither one thing nor the other,--one of those faces which people say nothing about."