“But, monsieur, my mother has all she needs now, and I am going to earn some money to-day.” “Oho! you are very confident, aren’t you? How do you know that you will find work to-day, that it will be a good day for you?” “Why! monsieur, it very seldom happens that a whole day passes without someone employing us; a man would have to be very unlucky to have that happen.” “And you think that you are in no danger of such bad luck? Well, tell me how you expect to earn money for your mother?” “By doing errands, monsieur, as that is my business.” “And how much do you get for an errand usually?” “Why, that depends, monsieur, on how far I have to go; and then some people are more generous than others.” “But about how much?” “Twelve sous, fifteen sous, sometimes twenty sous; but that’s not often, unless we carry bundles.” “And you take without a murmur whatever anyone chooses to give you?” “To be sure, monsieur, as it’s the pay for our work.” “Well, Monsieur Georget, I take you for my messenger from to-day; and it’s my pleasure to pay you two francs for every errand that you do for me.” “Oh! that is too much, monsieur; no one ever pays as much as that.” “If it suits me to pay that price, do you propose to prevent me from being more generous than other people?--You understand then, the twenty francs that you have received is a payment in advance on account of the errands you may do for me.” “Yes, monsieur; then it’s for ten errands.” “Exactly, for ten errands.” “But there’s the sugar too.” “Confound it! now it’s the sugar! well, call it one errand more.” “Monsieur is mistaken; it was at least nine pounds of sugar, and that makes--that makes--I don’t know just the price of sugar.” “Nor I; say no more about it, and don’t bother me with all these trifles!” “And the charcoal, monsieur?” “This little fellow has evidently made a vow to drive me mad! Call it as many errands as you choose, and let me alone.” “I will call it fifteen, monsieur, but I am very sorry that I have offended monsieur, who is so very kind, and I will go, monsieur, I will go!” And Georget had already reached the door, when Monsieur Malberg called him back. “Listen, my boy, as you seem in such a hurry to pay your debt to me, I will employ you at once.” “Oh! so much the better, monsieur, so much the better!” “Listen: there is somewhere or other in the world a person whom I lost sight of almost--almost nineteen years ago, and whom I am very desirous to find. At that time, the gentleman in question, for it is a gentleman that I am talking about, was some thirty-three or thirty-four years of age; he was tall, with a good figure, and was rather a handsome man. Moreover, he was a dandy, a man of fashion, and always dressed with much elegance; but as that was nineteen years ago, his appearance may have changed greatly! However, the man’s name is Monsieur de Roncherolle.” “Very good, monsieur; and where did this handsome Monsieur de--de----” “Roncherolle.”