Year: 1868

trusted waisteOat to a dyer and scourer
to clean they had brought him back
his Eaisse0at, and Pelissier, having no
funds, had, in order to put of the pay
ment, given them a cravat to dye When
they brought back the eravat he gave q
pair Of entirely new pantaloons then,
after the pantaloons, the waistcoat, which
he had had time to soil again,-the
dyer, each time he returned, finding the
sum due him larger and the resources
esame, that is to say, null
Pelissier cast around him a look Of
distress there was nothing more to give
to the seourer, and consequently no pre-
tenee for not paying the bill For mo-
ment bewiIdered, troubled, he stopped
down to take up his boots butthe dyer
could do nothing to a pair of boots He
plunged his arm into Pierre COrneille's
head but he did not find eight cents
there.


His ideas we're horribly confused the
dyer stood waiting in silence.


ThemistOeles Pelissier could have
wished the house to swallow them both
up, but suddenly he spied on the foot Of
his bed Melin's robe de ehambre. which
the painter, who had taken it of to
go for Pelissier's supper, had not
thought to put on again. 1t was very
fine yellow damask robe de cbambre.
Pelissier gave it to the dyer for him to
dye it red, and dismissed him


On the other side, Madame Melin was
making frightful noise she could not
find the half Of a chicken which she
had saved for the breakfast. She intended
to set out early, and must 90 now to
look for provisions. Melin had taken
good care not to acknowledge that be
had carried of the chicken, and let his
wife's suspicion light upon the wholly
innocent cats Madame Melin. resigned,
was going out with her basket, when
Pelissier knocked at the Office door of
the studio. At sight of him Madame
Melin gave a cry Of astonishment and
Indignation. Not that PelissieF did not
present an agreeable aspect. He had
put on his fine green frOgged surtout
a few locks drawn forward concealed the
traces Of the razor, for Pelissier, Ike
several Of his fraternity, gave himself
/ by this artificial means a forehead which
nature had refused him. A letter-paper
shirt collar rose from a black eFavat per
feetly folded He had added TO this out
/ fit his eye glass, although his sight was
excellent, and spurs, although he had
never been on horseback IN his life
/ These were, the sFsz-s, a luxury, and the
eye glass an infrmity which be only WvFe
on grand occasions, and when be had
some project in his head for which he
considered himself in need Of all his
advantages.


What had drawn a cry from Madame
Melin was the sight of plate which
Pelissier held in his hand, She had re-
eognized her plate-ths plate in which
had been, the evening before, the half Of
a chicken sought for, regretted since
morning.


Melin pretended to be entirely oceu-
pied with his canvass.


1t is a settled thing, then, NJ Pelis-
sier, cried Madame Melin, tbatyou shall
upset everything in the house, Here
l have been looking for my chicken two
hours


There had never really been on the
plate but one wing of a chicken, al
though since morning Madame Melin had
deplored the loss Of half a chicken, and
now uphraided the unhappy Themisto-
eles with a whole chieken.


Melin understood that Pelissier's an
swer, whatever it might be, would bring
a food of anger upon his head, and TO
prevent him from speaking, he said quite
loudly:


Where the devil Is ny robe De cham
hre 2


Doubtless in VI. Themistoeles' room,
like the other day your boots, and my
umbrella even my shawl, which he uses
as a turban At least, he cannot have
eaten it up, your robe de ehamhEe,


1t was not the right time for Themis-
toeles to acknowledge that he had given
it to be dyed red He shrugged his
shoulders, did not answer, took Rodolph
Melin's gloves, and went down the stairs
humming Adieu, Beautiful Venice