She continued to scribble on the paper.
“When we get married,” she began, “it will save a bedroom.”
“Yes, that’s so,” and he also looked at the scribbles on the paper, scribbles that meant nothing; “meanwhile I might rig myself up something outside, or sleep in the cellar. But I suppose we shall need the cellar.”
“We might put a partition across that room,” and she pointed upwards with the pencil; “but it would be so much simpler——”
“All right,” said Paul; “we’ll think about it. Now, what about furniture?”
They made a list of the furniture that would be needed, Manon writing the name of each article under such headings as “Salon,” “Girl’s room,” “Visitors’ room,” “Our room.” The list began to frighten them not a little.
“Hold on,” said Brent; “I can make tables, cupboards, wash-stands, if we can get some decent wood. Bedsteads and bedding seem to be the main problem. I expect the prices are up in Amiens.”
“I have about seventy thousand francs. Sixty thousand are invested in Rentes. That leaves ten thousand for furniture, and stock and current expenses.”
“I can put a thousand to that. Not much, is it?”
“You are putting in more than money, Paul. It will be yours as well as mine. All this could never have happened without you.”