So Toto turned from blank horror to the heroic mood. The whole world was against him; well, he would stick to his guns. He almost felt glad that all this had happened, and lit another cigarette just as Garnier entered, bearing in his hand a huge bunch of black grapes for Célestin. They were muscatels, and must have cost him a little fortune, unless he stole them, or, what is more probable, obtained them on credit. “Garnier,” said Toto, his cheeks flushing slightly, “see here,” and he pointed his cigarette with a wave at _Pantin_ lying open on the table. “And she?” asked Garnier, as he made a sign towards the closed door of Célestin’s room, laying his grapes down on the table and taking up the paper all at the same time. “She is better.” “Ah, this which is marked with crosses?” “Yes, read it.” Garnier began to read, standing under the top-light and holding the paper at full length before him. In a moment he folded the sheet in a more comfortable manner and continued reading calmly and without any sign of astonishment. At one place he frowned slightly, where Célestin’s name appeared, then when he had finished he laid _Pantin_ back on the table beside the grapes. “Well?” inquired Toto. “I do not think that is in very good taste,” said Garnier dryly. “What! is that all you have to say—not in very good taste?” “My friend,” said Garnier, “it is no affair of mine; but it makes my fingers tingle none the less. Were it an affair of mine, I would make you eat that journal and all it contains—_vé_! I have spoken.” “Ah, stupid!” cried Toto, uncrossing his legs and moving his arms about. “You think _I_ have written that!” and the corners of his mouth went up in a very mirthless rictus. “But surely——” “I? Why, cannot you see that it is a hoax? No one came here to see me—I was not frying things over the stove. Do you think for a moment I would expose myself like that, and give my address? It was done to make fun of me—everyone will be laughing at me. Can’t you see?” “Oh, my friend,” said Garnier, “forgive me, forgive me! How could I have been so stupid and so blind? Ah, owl that you are!” and he gave his great chest a thump with his great fist, and then came to the couch and sat by Toto, and rested his hand on his knee, and poured out consolation in the language of Arles, punctuated with explosive oaths. “Oh, it does not matter. Do you think that I care? I do in a way, for it shows me the villainy of the world.” “Ah, you are right; this villain of a world—it is a beast! But _tenez_! my dear friend, I hear the little Célestin coughing. I will give her a grape.” He ran into Célestin’s room with the bunch of grapes, and Toto heard his voice murmuring to her, mixed with Dodor’s voice trying over a few bars of a song in a despondent sort of manner; for Célestin’s illness seemed to have put him out of heart during the last couple of days. Then Garnier came back, closing the door softly behind him, and raising up his hands at Célestin’s weakness.