"For one month I'll pay all the expenses of this hostelry, rent included, and allow you one hundred francs a day for your services. I take all the receipts. At the end of that time, I withdraw and leave you to your own devices. What do you say?"
Monsieur Pelletan reflected. At least, it was postponing the inevitable for a month, and in a month what may not happen? Besides, at the end of the month, he would be richer by three thousand francs.
"I accept, monsieur," he said, with fervour. "I am t'ankful a t'ousand time!"
"All right; I take possession at once. We can have a notary draw up a formal agreement. Now let's run over this schedule of prices," and he turned to Pelletan's carefully prepared statement.
"Fery well, monsieur."
"I see you have two apartments de luxe at one hundred francs a day.
Hereafter they will be two hundred francs."
Pelletan gasped.
"From t'at, off course, t'ere will be a tiscount?" he stammered.
"Not a cent; not the tenth of a cent. Two hundred francs net."
"But, monsieur, efen at t'e old price, we haf always gif a tiscount! It iss only Americans who pay t'e full price. Ot'er people expec'—"