“I put those people to sleep who believe in my skill.”
“Oh! I believe in it absolutely, monsieur! and if you would put me to sleep—Perhaps that is what gives the young look?”
“Why, yes, that’s the beginning of it.”
“Oh! begin me, monsieur, please! it will be so much done! Please, while we’re alone and you’ve got time——”
“What do you want?”
“To be put to sleep, monsieur. See, I’m all ready.”
I was terribly embarrassed; I didn’t know how to go to work to play the sorcerer, and I bitterly regretted that I had not asked my little hunchback for fuller details as to that matter. However, as I did not desire to be cruel any longer to young Clairette, who appeared to me in such charming fashion, I said to myself: “Parbleu! I’m not any more stupid than my hunchback; he hasn’t taught me his way of putting people to sleep, so I’ll invent a way of my own, and perhaps mine will be just as good as his.”
“All right, I consent,” I said to Clairette, “I’ll give you a lesson; but it will only be just to give you a little bit of an idea; we’ll do more another time.”
“Oh! just as you say, monsieur.”
The young woman was so pleased with what I had agreed to do for her, that she jumped about the room like a mad girl.