“It can’t be done that way, papa Lantimeche,” Cerizet was saying to a tall old man, seeming to be about seventy years of age, who was standing before him with a red woollen cap in his hand, exhibiting a bald head, and a breast covered with white hairs visible through his miserable linen jacket. “Tell me exactly what you want to undertake. One hundred francs, even on condition of getting back one hundred and twenty, can’t be let loose that way, like a dog in a church--” The five other applicants, among whom were two women, both with infants, one knitting, the other suckling her child, burst out laughing. When Cerizet saw Dutocq, he rose respectfully and went rather hastily to meet him, adding to his client:-- “Take time to reflect; for, don’t you see? it makes me doubtful to have such a sum as that, one hundred francs! asked for by an old journeyman locksmith!” “But I tell you it concerns an invention,” cried the old workman. “An invention and one hundred francs!” said Dutocq. “You don’t know the laws; you must take out a patent, and that costs two thousand francs, and you want influence.” “All that is true,” said Cerizet, who, however, reckoned a good deal on such chances. “Come to-morrow morning, papa Lantimeche, at six o’clock, and we’ll talk it over; you can’t talk inventions in public.” Cerizet then turned to Dutocq whose first words were:-- “If the thing turns out well, half profits!” “Why did you get up at this time in the morning to come here and say that to me?” demanded the distrustful Cerizet, already displeased with the mention of “half profits.” “You could have seen me as usual at the office.” And he looked askance at Dutocq; the latter, while telling him his errand and speaking of Claparon and the necessity of pushing forward in the Theodose affair, seemed confused. “All the same you could have seen me this morning at the office,” repeated Cerizet, conducting his visitor to the door. “There’s a man,” thought he, as he returned to his seat, “who seems to me to have breathed on his lantern so that I may not see clear. Well, well, I’ll give up that place of copying clerk. Ha! your turn, little mother!” he cried; “you invent children! That’s amusing enough, though the trick is well known.”