100 THE HANDSOME MODEL. 



us ; when old friends meet, they are not sorry, in discussing a bottle of bur- 

 gundy, to flavour it with a cutlet. Pray take upon you to order every thing 

 in the very first style." " Monsieur, I am not the lodger's servant ; be- 

 sides, I have no longer care of Monsieur Pierre's rooms." " The fact, is, 

 he feared a tete-a-tete with you, Madam Roch when one is still so bloom- 

 ing " Monsieur, I entreat of you " " So extremely well pre- 

 served." " Yes, Monsieur, I flatter myself on being preserved." " What a 

 capital model we should make of a Medea, or an Agrippina !" " Monsieur, 

 I don't exactly know " " How old are we, Madame Roch ? " Forty- 

 four, Monsieur." " Upon my soul, I should not have guessed within 

 twelve years of that. Come, Pierre, the money Madame Roch will settle 

 every thing." " But, Monsieur" " And no one could think of reckoning 

 with so interesting a porteress ' By the loves and the lures in those dimples that 

 play /' fork out." 



Pierre fumbled in his pocket, pulled out a five-franc piece which he had, 

 and put it in Rossignol's hand which he held open behind him. " Get on." 

 said Rossignol. Pierre put a second. " Once again," whispered the fine 

 model, and Pierre dropped another, saying to himself, " Fifteen francs for a 

 breakfast ! the devil is in it if this is the fifth economy." 



Rossignol put two of the five-franc pieces into Madame Roche's hand, and 

 slipped the third under his box coat, at the same whispering the porteress, 

 ' Make the best bargain you can and keep the change jor yourself." Then 

 pinching her knee, and pretending to kiss her, he pushed her towards the 

 staircase. Madam Roch not at all understanding his ways, but perfectly 

 understanding what to do with the money, settled her dress, which Rossig- 

 nol had somewhat discomposed, and went down down to order the 

 breakfast. 



" You see," said Rossignol, " I am obeyed ; ah, my friend, money will 

 make a tortoise run." " That may be true, but fifteen francs for a break- 

 fast." " What, you live in such superb rooms as these, and yet think of such 

 trifles ! Listen to me, Pierre do you wish to be amused, or do you not 

 wish it?" " Certainly I wish it." " In that case suffer yourself to be go- 

 verned. Besides, haven't I already taught you five or six economies ? It 

 isn't my wish, however, to make a miser of you." " Be it so, then ; I leave 

 you to settle everything for I must confess I don't know much about it 

 myself." " Make your mind easy ; let your brother be but six months away, 

 and he will find a change when he returns. In the mean time let us to the 

 cellar." 



They went down to the cellar, which might contain about three hundred 

 bottles of common wine, and several dozens of the finest kind. Rossignol 

 was in ecstacy ; he would willingly have breakfasted in the cellar, but as such 

 was not the custom, he contented himself with taking four or five bottles of 

 the finest wine, and loaded Pierre with as many of the common sort ; with 

 which these gentlemen reascended, Rossignol humming ' No couple on earth 

 so happy as we.' the bottles were arranged handy to the table. Madam 

 Roch returned with the dessert, and followed by a gar^on-traiteur loaded 

 with three dishes. At length every thing was settled for 'the breakfast, and 

 Madame Roch took her leave with a profound reverence. Pierre seated him- 

 self at table, and his friend placed himself in front of him. " Make yourself 

 quite at home," said Pierre. " Why do you keep on that immense coat ? 

 You must be suffocated in it." " Ah my friend, I was about to tell you. 

 You see my friend I have had a bad pain in my back, and I fear bad drafts 

 besides I set a high value on this coat it was left me by an uncle, who had 

 passed his whole life at sea." " It doesn't strike me as being very handsome 

 it is lined with leather." " Exactly so, my friend that's just what a ma- 

 riner wants, when he is keeping watch on deck ; wrapt in this, he cares not 

 whether it is rain, or sunshine." " So you had an uncle a sailor ? " " And 



