Paul glanced at the ten-sou piece, and could not refrain from saying:
"What, monsieur! this is all you give me for more than three hours?"
"Three hours! three hours! it isn't my fault if you make a job last forever."
"But, monsieur——"
"I never give less than ten sous for an errand, and never more; it's quite enough."
"I did two errands for monsieur; I went first to the Temple, and——"
"Well, well, all right! here—for God's sake, don't whine!"
Tobie reluctantly took four sous more from his pocket and gave them to Paul, then ran quickly up the stairs; while the young messenger, evidently confused and humiliated by the way in which he had been treated, walked slowly away from the Maison-Dorée.
Tobie instantly resumed his seat at the table, and, to make up for lost time, stuffed himself with biscuit, fruit, preserves and confections; but, although he did full honor to the dessert, his face, when he rejoined his friends, was very far from expressing the lively satisfaction depicted on Albert's and Célestin's after their interviews with their respective messengers.
"This time," said Mouillot, "I fancy that the reply was not so agreeable as on the two preceding occasions. Young Tobie does not appear perfectly content. She no longer loves him!"