Part 34 (1/2)
”And you don't leave me a little on account.”
”We will talk of that later.”
Cherami took his new cane, placed his new hat on the side of his head, and with his pockets lined with the money he had won at ecarte the night before, left the house, saying:
”I have my cue!”
According to his custom, Cherami spent his gold pieces freely. But it seemed that that money had brought him luck. Being a great lover of the game of billiards, he did not fail, after dinner, to go and play pool at a cafe where he knew that there was always a game in progress in the evening; and for some days fortune favored him so persistently, that all the frequenters of the cafe frowned when he appeared, muttering:
”Here comes the pool-shark!”
But one evening the luck turned; Cherami left the cafe with empty pockets.
”Palsambleu!” he said to himself; ”here I am reduced to extremities again!--For I shall not receive my quarterly income for a fortnight, and that stingy Bernardin wouldn't pay me a single day in advance. But why wouldn't this be a good time to pay a little visit to our young friend Gustave, in whose behalf I fought a duel, and who has not even come to thank me? By the way, I think I didn't give him my address, and, on the other hand, he didn't give me his. But he lives with his Uncle Grandcourt; he's a banker, or a merchant, no matter which; I ought to find his address in the _Almanack du Commerce._ To-morrow I will obtain it, and I will go and bid friend Gustave good-day. And if he is still in the depths, I'll dine with him again. He will tell me his woes, and I will order the dinner. And at dessert he certainly will lend me a hundred francs to carry me to my next quarterly payment--that will be easy to manage. Indeed, I am convinced that dear Gustave is surprised at my non-appearance, and that he is looking for me everywhere.--But, to make up for my neglect, I'll not leave him for a fortnight.”
The next day, Cherami found Monsieur Grandcourt's address, and lost no time in betaking himself thither. Having arrived at a handsome house in Faubourg Montmartre, he tapped on the concierge's window with his pretty cane.
”Monsieur Grandcourt, the banker?”
”His offices are on the ground floor, at the rear, right-hand door.”
”Very good. Shall I find Monsieur Gustave Darlemont in the office?”
”Monsieur Gustave?”
”Yes, the banker's nephew, who is employed by his uncle.”
”Faith! monsieur, I don't know; there are several clerks; I don't know their names.”
”You don't seem very well posted, that's a fact. All right; I'll go to the office, and it's to be hoped that someone will be able to answer me there.”
Cherami walked to the rear of the building, and entered a room where an elderly clerk, half reclining on a ledger, was adding columns of figures.
”Will you kindly tell me where I can find my friend Gustave?”
The clerk made no reply, but continued to mutter:
”Forty-five, fifty-two, four, six, sixty.”
”Is this old fossil afflicted with deafness, I wonder?” said Cherami to himself.--”I ask you, monsieur,” he added aloud, ”to direct me to the desk--the office--the chamber of my friend Gustave; don't you hear me?”
”Eight and eight are sixteen--and sixteen, thirty-two.”
”Sacrebleu! we've known for a long while that eight and eight are sixteen! Is it such nonsense as that that keeps you from answering me?”
As he spoke, Cherami seized the old clerk's collar and shook him roughly. He turned upon his a.s.sailant in a rage, exclaiming:
”I am adding my balances, monsieur; and when I am adding, no one has any right to disturb me--do you hear?”
”Well, well! you are another pretty specimen, you are! They ought to frame you and hang you up in the water-closet!”