The Flower Girl of The Chateau d'Eau Volume I Part 12

"And you think that you are in no danger of such bad luck? Well, tell me how you expect to earn money for your mother?"

"By doing errands, monsieur, as that is my business."

"And how much do you get for an errand usually?"

"Why, that depends, monsieur, on how far I have to go; and then some people are more generous than others."

"But about how much?"

"Twelve sous, fifteen sous, sometimes twenty sous; but that's not often, unless we carry bundles."

"And you take without a murmur whatever anyone chooses to give you?"

"To be sure, monsieur, as it's the pay for our work."

"Well, Monsieur Georget, I take you for my messenger from to-day; and it's my pleasure to pay you two francs for every errand that you do for me."

"Oh! that is too much, monsieur; no one ever pays as much as that."

"If it suits me to pay that price, do you propose to prevent me from being more generous than other people?--You understand then, the twenty francs that you have received is a payment in advance on account of the errands you may do for me."

"Yes, monsieur; then it's for ten errands."

"Exactly, for ten errands."

"But there's the sugar too."

"Confound it! now it's the sugar! well, call it one errand more."

"Monsieur is mistaken; it was at least nine pounds of sugar, and that makes--that makes--I don't know just the price of sugar."

"Nor I; say no more about it, and don't bother me with all these trifles!"

"And the charcoal, monsieur?"

"This little fellow has evidently made a vow to drive me mad! Call it as many errands as you choose, and let me alone."

"I will call it fifteen, monsieur, but I am very sorry that I have offended monsieur, who is so very kind, and I will go, monsieur, I will go!"

And Georget had already reached the door, when Monsieur Malberg called him back.

"Listen, my boy, as you seem in such a hurry to pay your debt to me, I will employ you at once."

"Oh! so much the better, monsieur, so much the better!"

"Listen: there is somewhere or other in the world a person whom I lost sight of almost--almost nineteen years ago, and whom I am very desirous to find. At that time, the gentleman in question, for it is a gentleman that I am talking about, was some thirty-three or thirty-four years of age; he was tall, with a good figure, and was rather a handsome man.

Moreover, he was a dandy, a man of fas.h.i.+on, and always dressed with much elegance; but as that was nineteen years ago, his appearance may have changed greatly! However, the man's name is Monsieur de Roncherolle."

"Very good, monsieur; and where did this handsome Monsieur de--de----"

"Roncherolle."

"Roncherolle live? Oh! I shall not forget the name again."

"He lived--but what good will it do you to know where he lived then, as at that time he suddenly left his lodgings in Paris, and left France, I imagine?"

"Still, he might have returned to his lodgings since."

"Do you suppose that I haven't been there a hundred times to inquire?

No, he has never come back to the place where he used to live; but he did come back to Paris ten years ago, I am certain of that; but I was travelling then, and we never met. When I returned, he had gone away again; but, if I can believe certain reports, certain indications, he returned to Paris some time ago, and is living--in what quarter of the city? I have no idea. You see that the errand that I give you is a difficult one. For a very long time, I, myself, have been looking for that gentleman, but have failed to find him. If you succeed in discovering him, why, then I shall look upon myself as your debtor, and shall find a way to prove my grat.i.tude to you!"

"Monsieur is jesting! he forgets that he has already paid me in advance for fifteen errands. But if only this Monsieur de Roncherolle has not changed his name--for in that case it would be very difficult to find him!"

"He will not have changed his name, for he belongs to an old family, and was very proud of it."

"Did he do anything?"

"Nothing except use up his fortune as slowly as possible; and in all this time he must have gone to the end of it. However, he has probably retained his youthful habits: it is in the Chaussee d'Antin quarter, at the close of the Opera, or of the Theatre des Italiens, or in front of the best restaurants in Paris, that you are likely to find him, that chance may lead to his being called by name in your presence; for you do not know him, my poor boy, you have no description of him, and I can supply you with no other means of identifying him. So I fancy that I am giving you a commission impossible to execute!"

"Why so, monsieur? We hear so many things, we messengers! We go about in all sorts of places; we see the whole of Paris, and I will bet that I discover him, and in that case I will come instantly and report what I have learned."

"That goes without saying."

"But this commission will not prevent monsieur from giving me others; and if he has any letters to deliver----"

"Yes, yes; very well; now go."

Georget left the bedroom; in the reception room he found Pongo in a serious dispute with Mademoiselle Zima, who had fallen twice to the floor and refused to rise without a.s.sistance. But Georget had no time to stop; he was in too great a hurry to tell his mother of his interview with the gentleman on the third floor. He lost no time in doing so, as soon as he was with the excellent woman; and he tossed the four five-franc pieces on the bed, exclaiming:

"They are really ours now, for that gentleman absolutely insisted on paying me in advance. So we are rich! You shall have everything you want; besides, I am going to earn money too. Good-by, mother; stay in bed, and take care of yourself."

"Why, Georget, you go off in such a hurry; you must take one of these pieces at least; for you must live too."

"No, mother, I don't mean to touch that money; I mean to earn some first of all, and not eat my breakfast until I have worked."

"Georget, that's nonsense! Will you listen to me?"

But the young messenger was not listening; he was already at the foot of the stairs, and in front of the concierge's lodge, where he found Madame Baudoin, alone, still gazing with an air of deep affliction at the marks of the brandy on the floor.

Georget's first thought was to go to the Boulevard du Chateau d'Eau, where he was very certain to find Violette, for the flower girl was always there, even when it was not a market day. That was the advantage of her branch of business; hand bouquets are of all times, and there are some flowers in all seasons; which is very fortunate for lovers, who give them all the year around, and for the ladies, who would like to receive them all their lives.

VIII

THE BLUE PHIAL