Monsieur Courbichon, having collected all that he had in his pockets, could find only twelve francs and two sous. But suddenly, upon renewing his search, he produced something carefully wrapped in paper, and that something proved to be a gold piece of ten francs. The bald man's face lightened.
"Ah!" he cried; "the ten francs that I loaned to Mathieu, and that he paid back this morning; I had forgotten them. That makes up the amount and two sous over—for the waiter."
"If I were in your place," said Cherami, "I would keep Mathieu's ten francs, so that we might have something to refresh ourselves with when we go back; and I would leave my cane for the balance."
"What! you want me to ask for credit when I have enough money to pay the bill?"
"You haven't enough; for with a bill of twenty-two francs, you can't think of giving the waiter less than twenty sous; if you offer him two, he'll throw them in your face."
"If he refuses them, he'll get nothing at all—so much the worse for him! but I shall pay my bill."
"And suppose you feel the need of something while we are walking back?"
"We have dined so well that I shall not want anything."
"On the contrary, you may have an attack of indigestion—you are very red already—and then you'll want a glass of sugar and water."
"I can do without it; I am not in the habit of being sick."