Part 12 (1/2)
”Do you propose to pa.s.s your life in restaurants?”
”No, of course not; but it's only half-past twelve, messieurs.--What does one do all day long when one is rich?”
”Attends to his business, when he has any, and enjoys himself when he has an opportunity--and that doesn't happen every day.”
”I don't propose to leave you to-day, my friends. I will take you wherever you would like to go; to the Bouffes if you please; there's a performance there to-day. That's the rich man's theatre, and I shall go nowhere else; but it isn't one o'clock, and we can't go to the Bouffes in the morning.”
”Edouard and I are going for a ride,” said Alfred, ”and we shall probably take a turn in the Bois de Boulogne.”
”To ride!” cried Robineau; ”the devil! that's my style; I'll go with you!”
”Do you know how to sit a horse?”
”Never fear. It would be a great joke if a man with twenty-five thousand francs a year shouldn't know how to sit on a horse!”
”In that case, come with us; I'll lend you a mare that has a very gentle trot.”
”That's the thing; and I'll make her gallop all the time. By the way, my friends, another word before we go: do me a favor.”
”What is it?”
”After this, don't call me Robineau any more, but call me by my Christian name--Jules; that is more _distingue,_ it has a pleasanter sound.”
”I will call you Monsieur le Marquis Jules, if you choose,” laughed Edouard.
”As for me,” said Alfred, ”I shall call you whatever comes into my head.”
”Try to let nothing come into it but Jules, I entreat you.”
They returned to Alfred's house, on foot this time, because, despite Robineau's entreaties, the two friends did not care to crowd themselves into his cabriolet again. The _nouveau riche_ decided therefore to dismiss his carriage, and accompanied his friends on foot; but on the way he a.s.sumed airs and graces which caused his companions much amus.e.m.e.nt. He did not deign to glance at the mult.i.tude, he refused to turn aside for anyone, for in his opinion everybody should have been eager to give way to him. But such was not the case; and as his impertinent air did not prepossess people in his favor, they did not make way for him; some even ventured to jostle him, and he received more than one blow for persisting in blocking the path.
”It's very foolish to go on foot when you have a carriage!” he exclaimed; while Alfred and Edouard observed in an undertone:
”There's something more foolish than that.”
They arrived at the hotel De Marcey. The two friends were soon in the saddle, and Alfred's groom led out for Robineau's use a pretty little mare which pawed the ground and displayed a n.o.ble ardor for the road.
Robineau began to frown and walked around the horse, saying:
”It seems to me that this horse is a vicious-looking animal.”
”On the contrary she is the gentlest creature you can imagine; she's a lady's horse.”
”Then she will do for me. But why does she stamp so?”
”Because she's impatient for a gallop.”
”The devil! if she's impatient, she'll run away; I don't want to ride like a madman!”
”Don't be alarmed! Don't you know how to mount?”