"Yes, monsieur, but that didn’t do any good."
"Ah! that didn’t do any good? Very well, I will call again."
And Robineau went away in a very ill humor, saying to himself:
"If that man had paid over all my money, I would change notaries instantly. Let’s go to Alfred’s."
He arrived at the hôtel De Marcey before seven o’clock and found the servants walking about the courtyard. Alfred’s valet stopped Robineau, saying:
"My master is asleep, monsieur."
"Bah! that doesn’t matter; he won’t be sorry to see me, he expects me," was the reply; and Robineau went upstairs, walked through various rooms and arrived at last in Alfred’s bedroom, where he found his friend fast asleep. He shook him violently, crying:
"Well, my friend! aren’t we ever going to get up? Come, come, lazybones!"
Alfred opened his eyes, looked up at Robineau, and exclaimed:
"Hallo! is it you? What in the devil do you want of me?"