"I know the place, monsieur."
"You will go into the market, near the rotunda, where the stalls are,—they are called ayons,—to the part occupied by the milliners."
"Does monsieur mean the dealers in old hats?"
"Old hats!—why, they sell new ones too, and wreaths of flowers, almost new, and ladies' caps—in fact, all the pretty gewgaws that women always dote on. You will ask for Madame Abraham—she is well known—she is one of the largest dealers in the place."
"Madame Abraham; very well, monsieur."
"You will hand her this letter. Do you know how to read?"
Paul could not restrain a faint smile as he replied:
"Oh! yes, monsieur; very well."
"So much the better; I am very glad, because, in that case, you won't make any blunder."
But as he was not fully convinced that the messenger had told him the truth, Monsieur Tobie held up the letter he was about to give him, and said: