"Fifty sous?" I exclaimed, horrified at having incurred such useless expense.
"Certainly, young chap, that is the tariff."
"Fifty sous to come from the Palais-Royal here!"
"I warned monsieur it was past midnight."
"There you are," I said; "take your fifty sous."
"Aren't you going to give me a pourboire, young fellow?"
I made a movement to strangle the wretch; but he was strong and vigorous. I reflected that perhaps he would strangle me, so I stayed my hand. I rang the bell, the door was opened, and I went inside. I felt dreadfully stricken with remorse for having squandered my money, especially when I considered that even had Paillet spent nothing on his side, we only had twenty francs fifty centimes left. Paillet had been to the Opera, and had spent eight francs ten sous. Only a dozen francs were left us.
We looked at each other with some anxiety.
"Listen," he said: "you have seen Talma, I have heard la Lampe mervilleuse; this was all you wanted to see, all I wanted to hear: if you agree, let us leave to-morrow, instead of the next day."
"That is exactly what I was going to suggest to you."