human
Listen, messieurs, said Albert;
gpt
I, the Marais and the Palais-Royal quarter,
human
I will look out for the Faubourg Saint-Germain and the boulevards,
gpt
And I, cried Mouillot,
human
I go everywhere, in all directions, and I will take care of the rest. The first one who sees Tobie must capture him and take him to Varinet's house, or bring him here: this will be our general rendezvous. We will come here every morning to report the result of our search.
gpt
Agreed; we will go Tobie-hunting.
human
Tobie-hunting it is! Tally-ho!
gpt
But one suggestion, messieurs, said Mouillot;
human
I don't see why this hunt should interfere with our hunting grisettes also. How about your little neighbor, Balivan? She is really charming, do you know? What are you doing with her?
gpt
Oh! I assure you, messieurs, that young woman is very virtuous, and I don't advise you to think about her--it will be time thrown away.
human
Virtuous! repeated Célestin, with a shrug;
gpt
I thought you knew more than that about the sex, my dear artist! We found your little virtue in a dark loft, with a young rascal, who was holding her very tight--and for whom I have a rod in pickle; but he wasn't in his usual place this morning.
human
Nonsense, said Albert;
gpt
Oho! here's Albert taking up the cudgels for the dressmaker! it's highly edifying.--I propose a wager, Mouillot: fifteen napoleons that I triumph first over that timid virtue.
human
Done! I take the bet.--Are you in it, Albert?
gpt
No.
human
Albert is too busily occupied elsewhere, said Célestin, in a mocking tone;
gpt
Messieurs, interposed Balivan,
human
I assure you that neither one of you will win. My neighbor won't listen to you.
gpt
You'll see whether she will or not, artist. I will be persistent, I tell you; not so much on account of the girl, as to be revenged on that cur who played the insolent with us. He does our errands, and he dares to talk back to us! upon my word, it is sickening!
human
There's Bastringuette! exclaimed Albert;
gpt
True, she can act as beater,
human
Mon Dieu! she ejaculated;
gpt
Bastringuette, said Albert,
human
You mean a fat little fellow with a face that looked like a painting, and a small glass in one eye?
gpt
That's the man, you know him.
human
Well, we are hunting him.
gpt
Is he a stag?
human
Yes; we are even afraid that he's a kite!
gpt
A kite! and you want to hitch something to his tail, so that he'll go up straighter.
human
Ha! ha! ha! On the contrary, we're running after him to prevent his flying at all. If you see him, tell him a lady wants to see him at Tortoni's.
gpt
No, no, messieurs; Tobie wouldn't believe that; he knows that ladies don't often go to Tortoni's, and that they wouldn't give him a rendezvous there; the best way would be to have Bastringuette tell our man that a lady, who wishes to see him alone, will expect him, at nine in the evening, at the--the--Pâté des Italiens.--You might even give him a handsome bouquet, and tell him that the lady sent it to him. And when you have done it, just tell one of the waiters in the café, and he will inform us; we all go there every day.
human
Bravo! said Mouillot;
gpt
Well, Bastringuette, will you do what we want?
human
Why not?--that is, if I see the man.
gpt
Oh! you will surely see him! But what's the trouble, Bastringuette? you don't seem in as good spirits as usual to-day; has there been any difficulty in our love affairs?
human
My love affairs! Oh! they're all done with; they've gone to bed.
gpt
What do you mean? Has Sans-Cravate been unfaithful to you?
human
Just the opposite; I tried to be to him.
gpt
Bravo! good enough! that's frank, at all events! Agree, messieurs, that very few women who act like Bastringuette would answer as she did.
human
Oh! bless my soul! I don't take four roads to get to a place. I don't know how to hide my passions. I didn't want to deceive Sans-Cravate, so I told him that I didn't love him any more.
gpt
And he tried to force you to stay with him--to love him?
human
Not much! as if a man could force a woman to do such things when it don't suit her! You're pretty countrified still, if you think that. A woman ain't to be forced--I don't care how many keys and picklocks you have. When she don't choose to--good-day!
gpt
Well, then, why are you so dismal? is your new love affair going wrong already?
human
I tell you that I haven't got any love affair--that I don't propose to have any more!
gpt
But you say you tried to be unfaithful to Sans-Cravate?
human
That's all right! that's my business, my secret; it don't concern you! Are you my fathers and mothers, to cross-examine me like this?
gpt
Ha! ha! beware, messieurs, our ally is on the point of losing her temper.
human
Here, Bastringuette, said Albert, tossing a five-franc piece on the girl's tray;
gpt
All right, I'll try to earn it. Adieu, my little loves!