Lafouraille (pointing to Joseph)
There will be four of us.
Joseph And what do you come to do at this hour? Do you want to snatch up everything here?
Lafouraille
He takes us for thieves!
Buteux We prove that we can be, when we are down in our luck; but we never say so.
Lafouraille
That is, we make money, like other people.
Joseph
But his grace the duke is going—
Lafouraille Your duke cannot return home before two o'clock, and that gives us time enough: do not therefore interlard with anxious thought the professional dish which we have to serve—
Buteux
And serve hot.
(Vautrin wears a brown coat, blue trousers, and a black waistcoat. His hair is short and he is got up as an imitation of Napoleon in undress. As he enters he abruptly puts out the candle and draws the slide of his dark lantern.)
Vautrin What! You have lights here! You think yourselves still members of respectable society. I can understand that this fool should ignore the first elements of sane conduct—but you others! (To Buteux, as he points out Joseph to him) Put wool in this fellow's ears, and talk with him over there. (To Lafouraille) And what of the youngster?