"Twenty francs! here's your money! a mere bagatelle!—I am not sorry to have christened my switch," he added, as he walked away.
XXXII
THE FAREWELLS
When he learned that his nephew wished to leave Paris again, Monsieur Grandcourt did not conceal the regret which he felt at the thought of another separation; but when he realized that Gustave still loved Madame Monléard, he placed no obstacle in the way of his departure, and it was decided that the young man should go to Germany.
"During your absence," said the banker, "an individual came here to inquire for you—I say an individual, for I don't know how else to describe the man, whose whole aspect was more than questionable. His name, I believe, is Arthur Cherami, and he claims to be an intimate friend of yours, because you paid for his dinner the day Mademoiselle Fanny was married."
"Ah! yes, I know whom you mean, uncle; I have seen him; I met him a couple of days ago."
"I trust, my dear Gustave, that you will not affect that gentleman's society. You don't know, perhaps, what he did? He fought a duel with Monsieur Monléard, after making an insulting remark to his wife."
"I know it, uncle. But, in the first place, that day, or rather that night, the poor devil was a little tipsy—he lost his head—he thought he was avenging me; after all, it only goes to prove that he's a brave fellow."
"My dear boy, the gentry who stop public conveyances on the highroad are generally brave fellows, too, but that doesn't prevent their being brigands."
"Oh! uncle, do you mean that you think that that poor Arthur——"
"I don't say that he's a thief; but I don't advise you to make a companion of him."