The rain having ceased for the moment, Rodolph, overcoming a sensation of disgust, went to meet the frightful pair. For the slang of the _tapis-franc_ the Schoolmaster now substituted a style almost polished, and which betokened a cultivated mind, in strange contrast with his real character and crimes. When Rodolph approached, the brigand made him a polite bow, and the Chouette curtseyed respectfully.
"Sir, your humble servant," said the Schoolmaster. "I am delighted to pay my respects to you--delighted--or, rather, to renew our acquaintance; for the night before last you paid me two blows of the fist which were enough to have felled a rhinoceros. But not a word of that now; it was a joke on your part, I am sure,--merely done in jest. Let us not say another word about it, for serious business brings us now together. I saw the Chourineur yesterday, about eleven o'clock, at the _tapis-franc_, and appointed to meet him here to-day, in case he chose to join us,--to be our fellow labourer; but it seems that he most decidedly refuses."
"M. Rodolph, we will go into the Panier-Fleuri,--neither myself nor madame has breakfasted,--and we will talk over our little matters whilst we are taking a crust."
"We can talk as we go on. You and the Chourineur certainly do owe some satisfaction to my wife and myself,--you have caused us to lose more than two thousand francs. Chouette had a meeting near St. Ouen with the tall gentleman in mourning, who came to ask for you at the _tapis-franc_. He offered us two thousand francs to do something to you. The Chourineur has told me all about this. But, Finette," said the fellow, "go and select a room at the Panier-Fleuri, and order breakfast,--some cutlets, a piece of veal, a salad, and a couple of bottles of vin de beaune, the best quality,--and we will join you there."
The Chouette, who had not taken her eye off Rodolph for a moment, went off after exchanging looks with the Schoolmaster, who then said:
"I say, M. Rodolph, that the Chourineur has edified me on the subject of the two thousand francs."
"You are right,--the language is a little too refined for you. I would say that the Chourineur nearly told me all that the tall gentleman in mourning, with his two thousand francs, required."