“What a confounded brainless girl that Adèle is! If she had only given me her key, I could have made myself comfortable here.”
Then he returned to the loft where he had been, previously waiting, taking Octave with him, who, moreover, desired to question him respecting the finish of the evening at the Josserands’. But, for some time, Trublot would not allow him to open his mouth.
Octave was at length able to question him as to the wind-up of the party. It seemed that Berthe had left her mother’s shortly after midnight, looking very composed. No doubt, she was now in Rachel’s room. But Trublot, delighted at the meeting, would not let him go.
“It’s idiotic, keeping me waiting so long,” continued he. “Besides, I’m almost asleep as it is. My governor has put me into the liquidation department, and I’m up all night three times a week, my dear fellow. If Julie were only there, she would make room for me. But Duveyrier only brings Hippolyte up from the country. And, by the way, you know Hippolyte, that tall, ugly chap! Well! I just saw him going to join Louise, that frightened brat of a foundling, whose soul Madame Juzeur wished to save. Eh? it’s a fine success for Madame! ‘Anything you like except that.’”
That night, Trublot, who was greatly bored, was full of philosophical reflections. He added, almost in a whisper:
“Well, you know! like master, like man. When landlords set the example, it’s scarcely surprising if the servants’ tastes are not exactly refined. Ah! everything’s decidedly going to the dogs in France!”
“Good-bye,” said Octave; “I’m off.”
But Trublot still detained him, enumerating the servants’ rooms where he might have slept, as the summer had emptied nearly the whole of them; only the worst was that they all double-locked their doors, even when they were merely going to the end of the passage, they had such a fear of being robbed by each other.
At length Octave was able to get free. He was on the point of leaving Trublot in the profound obscurity of the loft, when the latter suddenly expressed his surprise.
“But you, what are you doing amongst the maids? Ah! rascal, you come here too!”