“Robber! robber! Yes, robber! And you, too, Clotilde; do you hear? robber!”
He swung the door to so roughly that all the other doors on the staircase shook. Monsieur Gourd, who was listening, was quite alarmed. He darted a searching glance at the different floors, but he merely caught sight of Madame Juzeur’s sharp profile. Arching his back, he returned on tiptoe to his room, where he resumed his dignified demeanor. One could deny everything. He, delighted, considered the new landlord in the right.
A few days later there was a reconciliation between Auguste and his sister. The whole house was amazed. Octave had been seen to go to the Duveyriers. The counselor, feeling anxious, had agreed not to charge any rent for the warehouse for five years, thus shutting one of the grumbler’s mouths. When Théophile learnt this, he went with his wife and had another row, this time with his brother. So he had sold himself; he had gone over to the bandits! But Madame Josserand happened to be in the shop, and he was soon shut up. She plainly advised Valérie not to sell herself any more than her daughter had sold herself. And Valérie had to beat a retreat, exclaiming:
“Then, we’re the only ones who get nothing? May the devil take me if I pay my rent! I’ve a lease. The convict won’t dare to turn us out. And as for you, my little Berthe, we’ll see one day what it’ll cost to have you!”
The doors banged again. The two families were sworn enemies for life. Octave, who had rendered some services, was present, and entered into the private affairs of the family. Berthe almost fainted in his arms, whilst Auguste was ascertaining whether the customers had overheard anything. Even Madame Josserand confided in the young man. She, moreover, continued to judge the Duveyriers very severely.
“The rent is something,” said she. “But I want the fifty thousand francs.”
“Of course, if you paid yours,” Berthe ventured to observe.
The mother did not appear to understand.
“You hear me, I want them! No, no; he must be laughing too much in his grave, that old scoundrel Vabre. I will not let him boast of having taken me in. What rascals there are in the world! to promise money one does not possess! Oh! they will pay you, my daughter, or I will dig him up again and spit in his face!”