“What the devil does he do here, under a false name?” said Jacques Dumoulin to himself.
“You know him?” said Rose-Pompon, with impatience. “You are quite confused.”
“And this gentleman has two rooms in this house, and comes here mysteriously,” said Jacques Dumoulin, more and more surprised.
“Yes,” resumed Rose-Pompon; “you can see his windows from Philemon’s dove-cote.”
“Quick! quick! let me go into the passage, that I may not meet him,” said Dumoulin.
And, without having been perceived by Rodin, he glided from the shop into the passage, and thence mounted to the stairs, which led to the apartment occupied by Rose-Pompon.
“Good-morning, M. Charlemagne,” said Mother Arsene to Rodin, who made his appearance on the threshold. “You come twice in a day; that is right, for your visits are extremely rare.”
“You are too polite, my good lady,” said Rodin, with a very courteous bow; and he entered the shop of the greengrocer.
(21) There are, really, ordinances, full of a touching interest for the canine race, which forbid the harnessing of dogs.