Bahuchet, having been handsomely paid once more, promised to be exact; and he returned to his office, oblivious of the fact that he had been followed on leaving the Hôtel de Santoval, and continued to be till he had entered the office door. The fortnight having passed, Bahuchet met Léodgard again at their usual place of rendezvous. "Go to the marchioness," said the count; "as my letters have obtained no reply, you will not carry one this time; but you will say to her that I entreat her to give you a word for me; add that, if she denies me this favor, I am capable of committing the most imprudent acts in order to see her.--Go--I will await your return; and I will double the usual sum if you bring me a note from the marchioness." "By Plumard's scalp!" said Bahuchet to himself, as he walked toward the Hôtel de Santoval; "the lovely marchioness simply must write a few words! I will grovel at her feet to obtain them.--Vertuchoux! this is a right good trade! I am feathering my nest!--Let things go on like this for a few months, and I shall have enough to set up for myself!--I will keep a tavern adjoining the law courts; that is more amusing than pettifogging.--Here is my charmer's house; I have my deed, I am all armed--I will present myself boldly!" Bahuchet knocked at the gate, which was opened to admit him, then suddenly closed behind him. He smiled affably to the concierge, saying: "I have come to request the honor of speaking with Madame la Marquise de Santoval on business, from my employer's office." And he was about to walk toward the vestibule leading to the main staircase, when four servants suddenly appeared, lifted him up, carried him to the carriage house, and there thrashed him mercilessly with cudgels and stirrup leathers, paying no heed to his shrieks and his entreaties. The operation concluded, the valet de chambre, who had superintended it, began to search the little Basochian, and did not release him until he was certain that he bore no secret missive. Then he hustled him to the gate, which was reopened, and, with a few parting blows of the stirrup leathers, threw him into the street, saying: "This is the way that you will be treated whenever you appear here." "Oh! bigre! oh! my ribs! my loins! This is infamous--the villains! how they went at it! Hoo! I shall be hunchbacked. What an ambush! Catch me going there again, to their devilish hôtel! And I thought it a good business!--A pretty business, on my word! I must be pretty sturdy to be able to walk. Hoo! what a pity that it didn't occur to me to send Plumard to do my errand to-day!" Groaning and limping, Bahuchet arrived at the wine shop. Instead of going in, he beckoned to Léodgard to join him, and said: "Let us not stay near that house, monsieur le comte; it's not a safe place! Perhaps they have a treat in store for you like the one I've just received." He then described the way he had been maltreated by the Marquis de Santoval's servants.