"Who engaged you to take service with her?"
"Monsieur Pompée, her intendant."
"Monsieur Pompée?"
"Yes."
"Well! why didn't you tell me so at once?" cried Canolles. "Yes, yes, my dear Castorin, you are quite right to leave my service, and here are two pistoles to indemnify you for the blows I was on the point of giving you."
"Oh!" ejaculated Castorin, not daring to take the money; "what does that mean? Is monsieur making sport of me?"
"Not so. On the contrary I bid you by all means be Madame la Princesse's servant. When is your service to begin, by the way?"
"From the moment that monsieur gives me my liberty."
"Very well; I give you your liberty from to-morrow morning."
"And until then?"