Calsabigi did all in his power to quiet me down, and at last persuaded me to go with him to M. du Vernai’s. The worthy old gentleman seeing the rage I was in apologized to me for what he had said, and told me that a certain Abbe de la Coste had informed him that I did so. At this I was highly indignant, and I told him what had happened that morning, which let M. du Vernai know what kind of a man the abbe was. I never saw him again, either because he got wind of my discovery, or because a happy chance kept him out of my way; but I heard, three years after, that he had been condemned to the hulks for selling tickets of a Trevaux lottery which was non-existent, and in the hulks he died.
Next day Tiretta came in, and said he had only just returned.
“You have been sleeping out, have you, master profligate?”
“Yes, I was so charmed with the she-pope that I kept her company all the night.”
“You were not afraid of being in the way?”
“On the contrary, I think she was thoroughly satisfied with my conversation.”
“As far as I can see, you had to bring into play all your powers of eloquence.”
“She is so well pleased with my fluency that she has begged me to accept a room in her house, and to allow her to introduce me as a cousin to M. le Noir, who, I suppose, is her lover.”
“You will be a trio, then; and how do you think you will get on together?”
“That’s her business. She says this gentleman will give me a good situation in the Inland Revenue.”