"Why not, pray?"
"Because the little woman's so proud in her poverty. She'll say: 'He only owed me twenty-seven francs, and you ought not to have taken any more.'"
"You can explain to her that it's the price I always pay."
"Oh, yes! but that won't seem right to her. Dame! what can you expect? She's suspicious, as I told you. And, worse luck! people do so few—honest things in these days——"
"You must remind her that her daughter may need a thousand things."
"Oh, yes! I know; that's where I shall have to catch her. Well, I'll keep what you give me; and I can give it back if she won't take it."
"She must take it! But that is not all, madame; has she much work at this moment?"
"I don't think so; so this money'll come in very handy."
"That isn't enough; it will soon be spent."
"The deuce! how fast you go! My, thirty-six francs is a lot of money!"