The house of Cosmo’s residence was not a great enough house to boast a regular _portière_ or _concierge_. A little cobbler, who lived in an odd little ever-open room, on the ground floor, was the real renter and landlord of the much-divided dwelling place. He and his old wife lived and labored without change or extension in this one apartment, which answered for all purposes, and in which Baptiste’s scraps of leather contended for preëminence of odor over Margot’s _pot au feu_; and it was here that the lodgers hung up the keys of their respective chambers, and where the letters and messages of the little community were left. Cameron and Cosmo were both very friendly with Baptiste. They understood him but imperfectly, and he, for his part, kept up a continual chuckle behind his sleeve over the blunders of _les Anglais_. But as they laughed at each other mutually, both were contented, and kept their complacence. Cosmo had found out by guess or inference, he could not quite tell how, that madame in the second floor opposite, with the invalid daughter, was the owner of Baptiste’s house--a fact which made the cobbler’s little room very attractive to the lad, as it was easy to invent questions, direct or indirect, about the beautiful old lady. One morning, Baptiste looked up, with a smirk, from his board, as he bid good-day to his young lodger. He had news to tell. “You shall now have your wish,” said Baptiste; “Madame has been asking Margot about the young Englishman. Madame takes interest in _les Anglais_. You shall go to present yourself, and make your homage when her poor daughter is better. She loves your country. Madame is _Anglais_ herself.” “Is she?” cried Cosmo, eagerly; “but I am not English, unfortunately,” added the lad, with a jealous nationality. “I am a Scotsman, Baptiste; madame will no longer wish to see me.” “Eh, bien!” said Baptiste, “I know not much of your differences, you islanders--but madame is _Ecossais_. Yes, I know it. It was so said when Monsieur Jean brought home his bride. Ah, was she not beautiful? too pretty for the peace of the young man and the ladies; they made poor Monsieur Jean jealous, and he took her away.” “Is that long ago?” asked Cosmo.