"My friend," said Auguste, squeezing Bertrand's hand, "we will eat black bread, we will drink water, but I will not be the lackey of men whom I despise; I will not burn incense to insolent pride and stupidity! I will not debase myself before my fellowmen!" "No, ten thousand squadrons! You mustn't do that, lieutenant. I see the place has gone to the devil, eh?" "I must needs do homage to a fellow who assumed the most patronizing airs; agree with everything he said, even when it lacked common sense; and even say that he played well when, by his own stupid play, he caused me to lose thirty francs that I had bet!" "Thirty francs at one crack! That was rather a big stake, lieutenant." "What would you have? I was determined to test my luck." "But black bread and water make a wretched meal." "I still have some hope. Eugène is going to speak to his uncle, and perhaps I shall have better luck in that direction." Several weeks passed, and Auguste finally met his friend, who said to him: "I have spoken to my uncle; you can go to see him--I believe that he has a vacant place." The next morning Auguste called upon the gentleman referred to. He entered the office and in due time reached the sanctum of Eugene's uncle, who was seated at his desk writing, and, without looking up, motioned to Auguste to wait. Auguste, receiving no invitation to be seated, began by taking a chair and stretched out his legs, already looking with disfavor upon the gentleman who was not courteous enough to offer him a seat. Five minutes passed and still the banker wrote on. Auguste, losing patience, said at last: "Monsieur, I came here to apply for employment; Eugène must have told you----" "One moment--I will be at your service directly, monsieur; I am very busy." Five minutes more passed, and Auguste said to himself: "The devil! I chose my time very badly. Is the man going to write like this for an hour? His business must be very important!" But, after five minutes more, another person entered the office and went up to the gentleman who was writing. "Good-morning, my dear fellow," he said. "Ah! you are engaged? Very well! I'll come again." The gentleman at once laid aside his pen, rose, and detained the new arrival, saying: "Why, is it you, my friend? Don't go, deuce take it! No one ever sees you now! I dined yesterday with someone who talked to me about you. Well, have you sold that cargo of Martinique coffee, the price of which I predicted would fall?" The newcomer was about to reply when Auguste, rising, walked between him and the banker, and having put on his hat, said to the latter: "Monsieur, you have kept me waiting for half an hour, unable to give me a minute, and you have the impertinence to enter into conversation in my presence with this gentleman who has just arrived! I have only this much to say to you--that you're a knave and a rascal! If you can find time to answer that, here's my address, and I shall expect to hear from you."