“It’s the regular price.”
“Come, come,” I said to Raymond, whose lugubrious face was not worth thirty-four francs at that moment; “you can make a lot of your friends happy with them; that’s some little compensation.”
Raymond paid, with a sigh, and seized my arm, imploring me to protect him.
“I ask nothing better,” said I; “but you must appreciate the fact that I can’t stand my ground alone against half a hundred young men who are waiting for you at the gate, and are to all appearance determined to make it bad for you.”
“Yes, yes, I can see that; but I can’t pass the night here; I have no hat, and I should certainly take cold; and to-morrow night I am to sing the aria from Joconde at a musical party.”
“This is very embarrassing. Do you want to risk going out at the gate?”
“No, indeed! These young men, when they get excited, are very brutal.”
“I see but one way, then, and that is to climb over the wall.”
“But suppose I am taken for a thief?”
“Never fear; I have a scheme in my head. Come!”