"No, no! blow your nose again. I'll go to see you, that's agreed; you see, I'm my own master; to be sure, I have my gouty gentleman, who gives me something to do sometimes, but not every day; I haven't been able to find the Baronne de Grangeville, but that isn't my fault. By the way, some time ago weren't you also looking for somebody for your Monsieur Malberg? It was Violette who told me that one day when----" "Violette! Violette! Did she mention me to you?" "Ah! what a stupid turkey I am! Here I am talking about her now! I wish I'd bitten my tongue out!" "Mon Dieu! it isn't a crime, after all, Chicotin. Besides, it must have been long ago, when she loved me a little, when she was fond of me; for she was, I am perfectly sure of it." "Well, it's all over now! You were looking for somebody, that's all! and that was why we never met." "That is true, but I looked in vain, I could not find that Monsieur de Roncherolle in Paris." "Monsieur de--what name did you say?" "Monsieur de Roncherolle." "Well, on my word! that is a good one! Is that the man you looked for so long in vain?" "Yes, can it be that you know where to find him?" "Do I know! why, it's my gouty gentleman; he set me to find a lady. Ah! he looks to me like an old rake! but swell, and generous, though it seems he's ruined." "And this gentleman's name is De Roncherolle?" "Exactly; and I had a bouquet to carry from him--indeed, he bought it of Violette." "Of Violette?" "Confound it! I am getting to be as talkative as a magpie, and as stupid as a kettle!" "Does that gentleman know Violette too?" "Why, no, he knows her just as everybody may know a person who sells flowers; he bought a bouquet of her and paid for it, that's all." "And his name is De Roncherolle?" "Yes, yes; how many times must I tell you that?" "And he lives----" "In a small furnished lodging house on Rue de Bretagne, in the Marais; I don't know the number, but you can find it easily enough." "Thanks, Chicotin, thanks! At last I am going to be able to be of some service to Monsieur Malberg; he was so anxious to find that gentleman; I must go at once and tell him. But mon Dieu! it just occurs to me--what time is it now?" "The clock on Saint-Paul's just struck six." "Six o'clock! and monsieur told me to be at the corner of the Boulevard and Rue d'Angouleme at five." "It will hardly be possible for you to be there." "No matter, we must run; come, Chicotin, quick!" The desire to please his benefactor had banished from his mind for a moment the pretty flower girl's image. He ran at the top of his speed to the place which the count had appointed, and Chicotin followed him, saying from time to time: "Sapristi! we are going at a lively pace! If a horse dealer should see us, he would enter us for the races on the Champs-de-Mars; we would beat all the ponies!" The two young men arrived at the place appointed, but Georget could not see his master.