"
Profiting by his old Parisian experience, Chupin had chosen such a
clever excuse that both his listeners heartily laughed. "Well,
Father Moulinet," cried the servant in the red waistcoat, "what do
you say to that? Are there any elegant ladies who give five francs
for YOUR address?"
"Is there any lady who's likely to send such flowers as these to
YOU?" was the response.
Chupin was about to retire with a bow, when the concierge stopped
him. "You accomplish your errands so well that perhaps you'd be
willing to take these flower-pots up to the second floor, if we
gave you a glass of wine!"
No proposal could have suited Chupin better. Although he was
prone to exaggerate his own powers and the fecundity of his
resources, he had not flattered himself with the hope that he
should succeed in crossing the threshold of M. de Coralth's rooms.
For, without any great mental effort, he had realized that the
servant arrayed in the red waistcoat was in the viscount's employ,
and these flowers were to be carried to his apartments. However
any signs of satisfaction would have seemed singular under the
circumstances, and so he sulkily replied: "A glass of wine! you
had better say two."
"Well, I'll say a whole bottleful. my boy, if that suits you any
better," replied the servant, with the charming good-nature so
often displayed by people who are giving other folk's property
away.
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