And if ever I set my foot in such
a mess again, I hope some one will cut it off. But for this once----"
"For this once, you may go, Toto; I give my consent."
He went off with a lighter heart; and on reaching the Rue d'Anjou
he immediately began his investigations. They were not successful
at first. At every house where he made inquiries nobody had any
knowledge of the Viscount de Coralth. He had visited half the
buildings in the street, when he reached one of the handsomest
houses, in front of which stood a cart laden with plants and
flowers. An old man, who seemed to be the concierge, and a valet
in a red waistcoat, were removing the plants from the vehicle and
arranging them in a line under the porte cochere. As soon as the
cart was emptied, it drove away, whereupon Chupin stepped forward,
and addressing the concierge, asked: "Does the Viscount de Coralth
live here?"
"Yes. What do you want with him?"
Having foreseen this question, Chupin had prepared a reply. "I
certainly don't come to call on him," he answered. "My reason for
inquiring is this: just now, as I passed near the Madeleine, a
very elegant lady called me, and said: 'M. de Coralth lives in the
Rue d'Anjou, but I've forgotten the number. I can't go about from
door to door making inquiries, so if you'll go there and ascertain
his address for me, I'll give you five francs for yourself,' so my
money's made.
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