"Domingo! Holà, Domingo! my negro! open the door for me!" A short, thick-set negro, wearing a red jacket, and a little jockey cap with a ten-inch visor, came forward, walking with difficulty in a pair of doeskin trousers which Monsieur Destival had worn ten years, and which he had thought it best to resign to his groom, for whom they were much too small; assuring him that they would be as much too large before he had been two years in his service. When his negro appeared, Destival looked to the right hand and to the left, to see if he were observed; but as no one stopped to look at Domingo, the business agent concluded to enter his cabriolet; and having assured himself by looking through the little window, that the negro was behind, Monsieur Destival lashed his horse, and shouted "look out!" even when nobody was in danger. "You won't have any further occasion to scold me, my dear Bertrand," said Auguste to the ex-corporal, after Monsieur Destival had gone. "Why not, lieutenant?" "Because I am about putting my affairs in order. I am going to entrust my money to Destival, who will invest it to such good advantage that in a short time I shall be as rich as I was before." "You are going to turn over your money to that gentleman, who is so polite?" "Yes, my friend." "All of it?" "Why, almost all; I am going to give him two hundred and fifty thousand francs; that will leave me about twenty thousand francs to live on and enjoy myself, until I settle with him, which I don't expect to do for some time." "That is all very well, monsieur, but have you got any security? For two hundred and fifty thousand francs is quite a little sum, you know! and when it's all you have----" "Don't be alarmed; I shall have all possible security. Besides, Destival is a shrewd, prudent man. I have more confidence in him than in La Thomassinière, who is much richer, however; and then, when I want my money, I shall only have to give him three months' notice." "But suppose he meant to keep it, would he give you notice, lieutenant?" "For shame! must we look upon everybody as a knave and sharper, Bertrand?" "God forbid, lieutenant, for in that case we should have to keep up a continual fire on everybody we met." "In truth, I have no reason to complain of my lot: I enjoy life, I deny myself nothing, and my fortune will soon be increased. If a coquette does deceive me now and then, I pay her back in her own coin. But I am angry with that little Denise; I feel that I should have loved her so dearly! The idea of her giving her heart away without telling me!" "Did she require your permission, lieutenant?" "No, but if I had fallen in love with her, if I had formed the hope of winning her love--You must agree, Bertrand, that it is most unpleasant for a young man who has some good qualities to think that such a pretty girl prefers some clodhopper, some lubberly peasant to him!"