"Eh? who said anything about that? I have more money than I need, and, I say again, I am delighted to be able to be of service to you."
"Excellent and worthy friend! You are made on the antique pattern; you have something of Socrates and of Marcus Aurelius about you. So you don't want me to kidnap Fanny?"
"No, I won't have it!"
"Well, if you change your mind, you have only to write me a line at the same address: Cherami, Hôtel du Bel-Air, Rue de l'Orillon, Belleville. By the way, I will call on your uncle's concierge now and then, to find out whether you have returned. Sapristi! it pains me to have you go."
"I shall return—and perhaps I shall be more reasonable."
"Then we will enjoy ourselves, we will laugh and make merry! Au revoir, then, my dear Gustave! If you have any commission for me, write me a line. But prepay your letters, for my hostess has a habit of refusing to take in those that have to be paid for."
"What! even when they are for her tenants?"
"Above all, when they are for her tenants."
Gustave walked away after shaking hands with Cherami, who looked after him with a touched expression, saying to himself:
"Excellent heart! he reconciles me with mankind; clearly, there still are such things as friends; they are rare, but, still, they do exist, and it's simply a matter of finding them. Now, I must see about getting some comfortable duds; that won't be an extravagance. When anyone brushes against me, I am always afraid he'll carry away a piece of my coat."